From the Cox proportional hazard regression model, predictors of 5-year survival for colorectal cancer patients were sex, ethnicity, pre-operative CEA levels, Duke’s stages, tumour grades and urgency of surgery (all p < 0.05); after adjusting for age, sex, comorbidities (diabetes mellitus and hypertension), tumour grades, treatment modalities and urgency of surgery (Table 4). This evidence concerns the gene CEACAM5 and diabetes mellitus.