CSCs express a variety of markers including CD133,3, 4 CD44, CD166,5 ALDH,6 EphB2 and leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein coupled receptor 5 (LGR5).7 These CSCs are able to survive therapeutic insult and re-establish tumour growth following therapeutic intervention, and there is therefore an urgent medical need for novel, non-toxic targeted cancer therapies that can induce durable clinical remissions. The gene discussed is LGR5; the disease is cancer.