22, 34, 39, 40 The increase in methylation levels and marker positivity of ASCL1, LHX8 and ST6GALNAC5 with severity of the underlying lesion, the high sensitivities in an gynaecological outpatient setting and the extremely high methylation levels in cervical carcinomas described in this study, are in line with this concept. The gene discussed is LHX8; the disease is cervical carcinoma.