A statistically significant positive correlation was observed between E-cadherin and Cx26 in the total patient group (P=0.003, r=0.243), in the subgroup of lymph node-negative cancers (P<0.0001, r=0.421), in the moderately-differentiated (G2) colorectal adenocarcinomas (P=0.017, r=0.233) and in the histopathological-type adenocarcinomas (P=0.002, r=0.271). The gene discussed is GJB2; the disease is adenocarcinoma.