r2r1 r2R1 R2r1 R2R1 r2r6 r2R6 R2r6 R2R6 r6r1 r6R1 R6r1 R6R1 CRCs 12 11 7 0 10 13 2 5 7 5 5 14 male 5 6 0 2 4 7 1 1 3 2 2 6 female 7 4 0 5 6 4 1 4 4 3 3 6 Stage (type)                         I 1 1 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 0 1 4 II 4 7 0 4 4 9 1 2 4 9 1 2 III 7 3 0 1 5 3 0 1 5 1 2 3 Lymph node metastasis                         Y 8 3 0 1 6 3 0 1 6 1 2 2 N 4 8 0 5 3 9 2 3 1 4 3 11 Vessel infiltration                         Y 10 6 0 2 6 9 1 1 6 2 4 6 N 2 5 0 5 3 4 1 4 1 3 0 8 Nerve infiltration                         Y 7 6 0 0 6 7 0 0 5 1 2 5 N 5 5 0 7 4 6 2 5 2 4 3 9 Tumor Lacalization                         Rectum 6 2 0 1 2 6 2 1 2 2 4 3 Sigmoid 2 1 0 2 3 0 0 2 2 1 0 3 Right colon 2 6 0 2 3 5 0 2 2 1 0 6                           ANTs 10 12 6 0 5 17 0 6 0 6 10 14

*Four MMR phenotypes were defined by combination of reduced (r2, r1, r6 <1) or regular (R2, R1, R6≥1) hMSH2 , hMLH1 and hMSH6 mRNA levels relative to reference hPBGD mRNA control gene

Table 4: Distribution of combined MMR mRNA phenotypes* in CRCs and their adjacent normal tissues (ANTs).