The current study further showed that at the early stage (<3 months) the Muc2 knockout mice spontaneously developed chronic inflammation in colon and rectum, similar pathological features as human colitis; and at the late stage (>3 months) the mice exhibited colorectal cancer, including a unique phenotype of rectal prolapsed (rectal severe inflammation and adenocarcinoma). Here, MUC2 is linked to adenocarcinoma.