CASP3 and rectal cancer: Cox multivariate hazards analysis identified low caspase-3 activity in the tumour as an independent risk factor of recurrence, with patients with tumour caspase-3 activity below the median value having a 1.77 times higher relative risk of recurrence, similar as reported by others for both colon and rectal cancer (de Heer et al, 2007; de Oca et al, 2008).