We validated this finding in our sample set consisting of 46 paired CRC tumour and para-tumour tissues which revealed both the down-regulation of CPEB1 expression and the inverse correlation between transcription and CPEB1 promoter methylation (Pearson’s R = − 0.49, P < 0.0001, Fig. 2c, d). This evidence concerns the gene CPEB1 and colorectal carcinoma.