The results showed that the PIK3R3 expression level in CRC tumor tissues was significantly increased compared with that in adjacent normal tissues and was negatively correlated with miR-193a-5p expression in CRC tissues (r = − 0.34, P = 0.032) (Fig. 6f and Additional file 1: Fig. S7B-D). Here, PIK3R3 is linked to neoplasm.