There is a possible role for LCRs in promoting mitotic recombination, but other selective or mutational factors must also be influential, in some cases perhaps suppressing cross-overs, resulting in few breakpoints close to APC. The absence of an association between polymorphisms in regions of frequent mitotic recombination on 5q and colorectal cancer risk suggests that local influences over the rate of loss of heterozygosity at APC are not factors that explain inter-individual differences in susceptibility to colorectal cancer. The gene discussed is APC; the disease is colorectal cancer.