Given that CD44v6 is expressed on lymphocytes and modulates their functional activity (32–35) and that tumor NOS2 and COX2 expression modulates CD8+ T-cell penetration into the tumor core (11), potential roles for tumor NOS2 and COX2 relative to CD44v6 and EpCAM expression were evaluated by comparing ratios of tumor NOS2 and COX2 to CD44v6 and EpCAM. The gene discussed is CD8A; the disease is neoplasm.