Using the distribution of beta values at all the CpG sites annotated to the gene promoters containing DMPs, we generated density plots that showed differences in average beta values in cancer compared to controls (difference in median |beta value|> = 0.1) at each CpG site in the promoters of six genes (FAIM2, NPY, GSC2, BHLHE23, SLITRK3 and FOXE1) (Fig. 4C, and Additional file 2: Fig S7). Here, FAIM2 is linked to cancer.