Difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), a potent irreversible inhibitor of ODC, exerts cytostatic activity by diminishing levels of folate-dependent metabolites, including S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and thymidine pools in intestinal tumors and human colorectal cancer cells35 (compare suppl. The gene discussed is ODC1; the disease is colorectal cancer.