Objective To study the clinical significance of expression of survivin gene in transitional mucosa(TM) adjacent to rectal carcinoma.Methods Mucinhistochemical methods were used to observe the distribution of TM adjacent to rectal carcinoma, and using immunohistochemical methods to observe the expression of survivin gene product in TM,normal mucosa,atypical dysplasia and cancer tissue.Results The positive expression level of survivin gene product was lowest in normal rectal mucosa,and gradually increase in TM,dysplasia and carcinoma tissue(all P