Abstract: Objective 　To investigate the expression of survivin, caspase-3 and p21^WAF1 proteins in colorectal carcinoma and their relationship between their expression and clinical pathology parameter, and correlation between expression of survivin protein and caspase-3, p21^WAF1 protein expression respectively. Methods 　SP immunohistochemical method was used to detect expressions of survivin, caspase-3 and p21^WAF1 proteins in 15 normal colorectal mucosa and 62 colorectal carcinoma. Results 　Colorectal carcinoma compared with normal colorectal mucosa, there was significant differences of survivin, caspase-3 and p21^WAF1 protein expression ( P < 0. 05) . No correlation was observed between survivin, caspase-3 protein expression and lymph node metastasis ( P > 0. 05), but survivin, caspase-3 protein expression were both correlated with cell differentiation degree ( P < 0. 05) . Positive rates of survivin protein was 44. 44 %(16/36) in A and B of Dukes phase, which lower than positive rates (73. 08 %) of survivin protein in C and D of Dukes phase ( P < 0. 05) . No correlation was observed between caspase-3 protein expression and Dukes phase ( P > 0. 05) . There was significant differences between p21^WAF1 protein expression and cell differentiation degree, lymph node metastasis, Dukes phase ( P < 0. 05) . A highly negative correlation was present between survivin and caspase-3, p21^WAF1 protein expression respectively( P < 0. 01) . Conclusion 　survivin, caspase-3 and p21^WAF1 genes may be an important role to formation and progression of colorectal carcinoma. It is rarely reported on relationship between p21^WAF1 gene and the malignant progression of colorectal carcinoma.