<p>The invention is related to a method for detecting the presence of cancer cells of the colon or rectum in a sample from a patient or the presence of genomic DNA from cancer cells of the colon or rectum in a sample from a patient as an indication that the patient is afflicted with cancer of the colon or rectum comprising the steps of isolating genomic DNA from the sample from the patient, determining the presence of a methylated cytosine residue in a CpG dinucleotide in the promoter region or a part thereof of the gene KIAA 1233 in the genomic DNA whereby the presence of a methylated cytosine residue in a CpG dinucleotide in the promoter region or a part thereof of the gene KIAA 1233 indicates the presence of cancer cells of the colon or rectum in the sample from the patient or indicates that the patient is afflicted with cancer of the colon or rectum. The invention is further related to primers and probes and a kit comprising the primers and probes.</p>
