To evaluate, at the level of protein expression, the gene expression data provided by bionformatics, CD3 and TRAF1 immunostaining of consecutive serial sections, and double immunostainings of CD3 with PD-L1, or PD-1, or LAG3, or EOMES, or T-bet, or TIGIT or TGFβ1 were performed on CRC samples from the short-term survivors, which revealed a higher level of immune exhaustion. The gene discussed is TRAF1; the disease is colorectal carcinoma.