Interestingly, in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cell lines and tumour biopsies, decreased levels of FSTL1 mRNA correlate with hypermethylation of CpG islands in its proximal promoter (− 166 to + 332 bp) and also with increased tumourigenicity. The gene discussed is FSTL1; the disease is nasopharyngeal carcinoma.