Previous studies have implicated the role of the IL‐1 signaling pathway in mediating cellular senescence in irradiated inflammatory fibroblasts in rectal cancer.[24] Moreover, IL‐1β, a key component of the IL‐1 signaling pathway, has been shown to promote the EMT.[25] Therefore, we tested the effect of the IL1R1 inhibitor, anakinra, in killing malignant cells with or without radiation both in vitro and in vivo. The gene discussed is IL1B; the disease is rectal cancer.