Primary CRC tumours without early signs of metastatic invasion such as vascular emboli (i.e., infiltration of cancer tissue into blood vessels) presented with significant increases in T-cell sub-populations from early memory (CD45RO+CCR7- CD28+CD27+) to effector memory CD8+ T-cells (CD45RO+CCR7-CD28+CD27-). This evidence concerns the gene CD28 and cancer.