Given our in vitro and human clinical outcome data, we tested the role of ADAM12 in tumor initiation and proliferation in human CRC SW480 cells in vivo, by injecting the same number of empty-pcDNA6-myc vector, ADAM12-pcDNA6-myc construct, scrambled pGFP-C-shLenti, or ADAM12-pGFP-C-shLenti-transfected SW480 cells into non-obese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficiency (NOD/SCID) mice. The gene discussed is ADAM12; the disease is colorectal carcinoma.