It is well established that in human colorectal cancers, the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene is frequently mutated23 or inactivated by promoter hypermethylation24, and its germline mutations cause familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), an autosomal dominant inherited condition in which numerous adenomas form in the epithelium of the large intestine25. Here, APC is linked to adenoma.