HSPA9 and colorectal cancer: For example, overexpression of mortalin is detected in breast and liver cancers, and is associated with cell migration, invasiveness, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and metastasis.4, 5, 6 Elevated levels of mortalin are clinically associated with poor prognosis and survival in patients with gastric and colorectal cancers.7, 8 In human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells, mortalin binds to and sequesters p53 (encoded by the TP53 gene) in the cytoplasm, thereby preventing the translocation of p53 into the nucleus, indicating its role in regulating cell cycle and apoptosis.9