However, one such combination which may be of value in colorectal cancer is the combined p53 / Bcl-2 phenotype, as suggested by Manne et al, who described the p53/Bcl-2 phenotype of 134 patients with Dukes stage A-D tumours, finding that this combination gave independent prognostic information which was superior to that of either marker on its own [2]. Here, TP53 is linked to neoplasm.