Further, the level of CXCL3 in plasma of CRC patients was positively related to CEA (r = 0.50), with the plasma expression of CXCL3 in CRC related to tumor size, staging, tumor stage, differentiation, and lymph node metastasis, but not to sex, age, tumor site, or distant metastasis. This evidence concerns the gene CEACAM5 and metastatic malignant neoplasm in the lymph nodes.