Furthermore, the MUC2 (MUCIN-2) mRNA analysis of these paired tumour tissues (T) and matched normal mucosa (M) showed significantly lower mRNA expression of MUC2 in the tumour tissue compared with its matched normal mucosa (the normal mucosa as reference set to 100 and tumour tissue 92.60 ± 34.91 (mean ± SEM), Mann–Whitney test, P < 0.001, Fig. 2a). This evidence concerns the gene MUC2 and neoplasm.