Patients with fibroids had uniquely decreased levels of IL-17A (q = 0.023), EGF (q = 0.034), and an elevation of macrophage inflammatory protein-1 beta (MIP-1β) (q = 0.040) (Fig. 6C, D, Additional file 4: Tables S28 and S29). Here, EGF is linked to leiomyoma.