Curcumin decreased the levels of pTyr421 cortactin in colon cancer cells in vitro by physically interacting with the non-receptor type 1 protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPN1; PTP1b) to increase its activity, and dephosphorylate cortactin, thus reducing cancer cell migration. This evidence concerns the gene PTPN1 and malignant colon neoplasm.