The aim of the present study was to investigate the clinical significance of abnormal sugar-chain glycoprotein tumor abnormal protein (TAP) in the screening of common digestive tract pre-cancer colon adenocarcinoma lesions. A total of 50 colitis patients, 50 colon polyp patients and 50 colon adenocarcinoma patients admitted to our hospital from March, 2012 to May, 2014 were included. Fresh blood from patient's fingertips was collected and condensation staining was used to detect TAP expression. Positive expressions of TAP in patients in the colitis, colon polyp and colon adenocarcinoma groups prior to treatment were 6,76 and 92%, respectively. The TAP-positive expression rate comparisons between the three groups were statistically significant (P<0.05), and TAP-positive expression showed an increasing trend. TAP-positive expression was not significantly correlated with sex, age or ethnic group (P>0.05). Patient follow-up revealed that the tumor incidence rate in TAP-positive patients was significantly higher than that in TAP-negative in the colitis and colon polyp groups (P<0.05), and the postoperative tumor recurrence rate in TAP-positive patients was significantly higher than that in TAP-negative in the colon adenocarcinoma group (P<0.05). TAP had a higher expression in colon pre-adenocarcinoma lesions. Additionally, TAP participated in the processes from intestinal mucosal inflammation to colon polyp formation to tissue canceration, and was correlated with these. Thus, TAP can be used for the screening of digestive tract precancerous lesions.