Aims To investigate the expression pattern of microRNA-451 (miR-451) in patients with colorectal carcinoma and correlate with the expression of its target gene MIF (macrophage migration inhibitory factor). Methods Matched cancer and non-cancer fresh frozen tissues were prospectively collected from 70 patients (35 men and 35 women) who underwent resection of colorectal adenocarcinoma. These tissues collected were extracted for miR and complementary DNA conversion.