Objective      To investigate the expression of Twist

a member of basic helix loop helix transcription family

and its relation with the malignant features in colorectal cancer.       Methods      Expression of Twist

E-cadherin

Vimentin

and N-cadherin were detected in 10 normal colorectal mucosa

25 central tissues and 25 peripheral tissues of colorectal cancer

and 9 lymphatic metastases with immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The results were analyzed with clinical data.       Results      The expression of Twist protein and mRNA in central tissues of colorectal cancer was correlated with lymph node metastasis

Dukes stage

and TNM stage (

P

<

0.05)

but not with patients’ gender

age

and site of tumor (

P

>0.05). For the expression of each protein

there was difference among these four kinds of tissues (

P

<

0.05). The expression rates of Twist

Vimentin

and N-cadherin in peripheral tissues and lymphatic metastases of colorectal cancer were significantly higher than these in normal mucosa and the central tissues (

P

<

0.05). The expression rates of E-cadherin in normal mucosa and central tissues were significantly higher than these in peripheral tissues and lymphatic metastases tissues (

P

<

0.05). In colorectal cancer and lymphatic metastases

a significant negative correlation was noted between the expression of Twist and E-cardherin (

r

=-0.263

P

<

0.05；

r

=-0.605

P

<

0.05）

while positive correlations of the expressions of Vimentin （

r

=0.214

P

<

0.05；

r

=0.470

P

<

0.05）and N-cadherin （

r

=0.381

P

<

0.05；

r

=0.581

P

<

0.05）with Twist. But E-cadherin had a negative correlation with Vimentin（

r

=-0.562

P

<

0.05；

r

=-0.591

P

<

0.01），and with N-cadherin（

r

=-0.267

P

<

0.05；

r

=-0.617

P

<

0.01）.       Conclusion      Twist may take part in the invasion and metastasis of colorectal cancer by regulating epithelial-mesenchymail transition (EMT). So Twist and EMT may be the biological indexes independent of the TNM staging system to predict the prognosis

invasion and metastasis of colorectal cancer.