Compared with levels in the healthy control group, serum MEG3 expression levels were downregulated (median fold change = 0.675, P = 0.0358), whereas serum miR-27a and miR-181a expression levels showed marked upregulation reaching a median of 16.28-fold and 8.34-fold (P < 0.0001 for each), respectively in CRC patients (Fig. 1). The gene discussed is MEG3; the disease is colorectal carcinoma.