TYMS and rectal cancer: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), COX-2, thymidylate synthase, the p53 tumor suppressor and key mediators of cell-cycle arrest (p21, p27) and apoptosis (Bcl-2) are among the immunohistochemical protein markers currently of interest as potential predictors of pathologic response, prognosis and recurrence-free survival in rectal cancer following neoadjuvant therapy [46–53].