In CRC group, a down-regulated p27 protein was positively correlated with lymph node metastasis (OR: 2.79, 95% CI: 1.33–5.88, P = 0.007; Figure 6A), distant metastasis (OR: 3.92, 95% CI: 2.05–7.49, P < 0.0001) and pathology grading (OR: 2.28, 95% CI: 1.55–3.36, P < 0.0001). Here, CDKN1B is linked to metastatic malignant neoplasm in the lymph nodes.