Abstract: Objective To investigate the expression and significance of eripto in human eoiorectal car- cinoma. Methods The expression of eripto mRNA in 36 samples of colon cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissues were determined by real time RT-PCR assay,and 2-△△Ct≥2 as a positive standard. Results The positive rate of cripto expression in coiorectal carcinoma tissue is 86. 1% , however, tumor adjacent tissue is 0. Cripto mR- NA was related with scrosa invasion,lymph node metastasis and Duke's stage,but not with tumor location,and pathological grading. Conclusion Cripto is closely correlated to colorectal carcinoma progression, and cripto might be a potential marker for metastasis of colon cancer progression.