IFNG and neoplasm: Subsequent pathway analysis indicated that, influenced by tumor cells, the receptors of CD8 Tex cells in LN-out samples are involved in the response to interferon-gamma, antigen processing and presentation, and regulation of myeloid cell differentiation, suggesting that the cell‒cell interaction of tumor cells with CD8 Tex cells favors the ENE by modulating the immunosuppressive efficacy of CD8 Tex cells and even the immune microenvironment (Supplementary Fig. 5i).