As might be expected from the critical role of DNA repair in maintaining genomic integrity, many cancers, including CRC, exhibit deficiencies in the DNA damage response and DNA repair pathways. Specifically, MRE11 deficiency is associated with improved overall survival (OS) and long-term disease-free survival (DFS) in patients with stage III colon cancer independent of treatment , suggesting that MRE11 status has value as a prognostic marker in CRC.