The mean concentration of MST1 detected in the healthy controls (959.65 ± 407.07 ng/ml) was significantly higher (p = 1.87E-06) than that in the CRC patients (242.80 ± 261.99 ng/ml) and significantly higher (p = 0.00016) than that in the stage I CRC patients (343.97 ± 277.76 ng/ml), thus indicating its potential for use in the early diagnosis of CRC (Fig. 3c). This evidence concerns the gene MST1 and colorectal carcinoma.