Abstract: Objective To investigate Runx3 and C-myc expressions in colorectal cancer and their relationship with the
clinicopathological parameters. Methods Real-time quantitative PCR was used to detect Runx3 and C-myc mRNA expressions
in 38 colorectal cancer tissues and matched adjacent tissues, and Runx3 and C-myc expressions was detected by Western
blotting in 63 pairs of colorectal cancer and adjacent tissues. The results were stratified according to the clinicopathological
characteristics to examine the relationship of Runx3 and C-myc expressions with the clinicopathological factors in the patients.
Results Runx3 expression was down-regulated and C-myc expression up-regulated at both mRNA and protein levels in
colorectal cancer tissues compared with the normal tissues, and their protein expressions exhibited an inverse correlation
(r=-0.398, P=0.001). Runx3 and C-myc expressions differed significantly between tumors with different Dukes stages, depths of
tumor invasion, lymph node statuses, or histological differentiation (P<0.05); Runx3 down-regulation and C-myc up-regulation
were more obvious in tumors in advanced Dukes stage and in poorly differentiated tumors. Conclusion Abnormal expressions
in Runx3 and C-myc may contribute to the occurrence and development of colorectal cancer and are closed correlated with the
patient’s clinicopathological parameters.