ROC analyses showed that SHOX2 hypermethylation was able to discriminate between CRC vs. controls (AUC = 0.88, 95 % CI = 0.77–0.99, p < 0.001) and adenomas vs. controls (AUC = 0.90, 95 % CI = 0.85–0.95, p < 0.001, Fig. 2c, d). This evidence concerns the gene SHOX2 and adenoma.