Although some of the stemness programmes might be dependent on oncogenic pathways, others seem to be closely related to homoeostatic stem-cell programmes.17,106 An interesting example of the association between stem-cell programmes and cancer has been described in CRC, where an Lgr5-positive subpopulation with tumour- and metastasis-initiating capabilities has been identified.107 Lgr5 also marks normal intestinal stem cells, suggesting that the physiological intestinal stem-cell programmes might be conserved in cancer. Here, LGR5 is linked to colorectal carcinoma.