The sequencing data thus demonstrates colorectal cancer-specific DNA methylation for regions of 23 genes (COL1A2, COL4A1, COL4A2, DLX5, EDIL3, EFEMP, FBN1, FGF5, FOXB1, FOXD2, FOXF1, GRASP, IRX1, MEIS1, MMP2, NPY, PDX1, PPP1R14A, SDC2, SOX21, SUSD5, TCF21 and ZNF471) and specific regions that may be used for development of assays to distinguish cancer from normal DNA. This evidence concerns the gene ZNF471 and cancer.