In the secondary analyses performed by subtype and sex, evidence for mediation was found for IGF1, total cholesterol and smoking in relation to colon cancer; IGF1, total cholesterol and PA for distal colon cancer; and smoking for CRC in men (Figure 3 and Supplementary Table S8, available as Supplementary data at IJE online). The gene discussed is IGF1; the disease is malignant colon neoplasm.