Specific genes downregulated in HG tumours which showed significantly higher promoter methylation included the developmental transcription factors CDX1, CDX2, GATA6, HNF1A, the marker of colonic differentiation, DPP4, and the markers of LGR5+ intestinal stem cells, ASCL2, LGR5 (Fig. 7A). This evidence concerns the gene ASCL2 and neoplasm.