Cell adhesion molecule 1 (CADM1/TSLC1), a putative tumor suppressor involving in cell adhesion, proliferation and apoptosis, is frequently inactivated in several carcinomas due to promoter hypermethylation. But alterations of CADM1/TSLC1 in colorectal carcinogenesis and clinical significance have not been elucidated yet. The aim of this study was to determine the role of functional inactivation of CADM1/TSLC1 gene in colorectal tumorigenesis and its potential as a novel epigenetic marker for clinical assessment of patients with colorectal cancer. We measured CADM1/TSLC1 expression levels in 8 colorectal cancer cell lines, 54 primary colorectal carcinomas and their corresponding non-cancerous tissues by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry. We analyzed CADM1/TSLC1 promoter methylation status by bisulfite genomic sequencing and the methylation special polymerase chain reaction, and evaluated its correlation with clinicopathological characteristics. All statistical tests were 2-sides. Downregulation of CADM1/ TSLC1 expression was observed in 7 of 8 (88%) colorectal cancer cell lines and in 39 of 54 (72%) primary colorectal carcinomas. Hypermethylation of CADM1/TSLC1 promoter region occurred in 6 of 8 (75%) colorectal cancer cell lines and 32 of 54 (59%) primary colorectal carcinomas, and was correlated with advanced colorectal carcinoma. Epigenetic inactivation of CADM1/TSLC1 gene is a frequent alteration in development of colorectal cancer and can be a potential biomarker for molecular staging of patients with colorectal cancer.Colorectal carcinoma is one of the most common malignancies, which is attributable much to the inactivation of tumor suppressor genes (TSGs). Besides gene mutations and deletions, DNA methylation of CpG islands in the promoter of TSGs is a major mechanism underlying TSGs inactivation. Lots of studies have shown that the promoter hypermethylation of many TSGs, such as MLH1, P16, TIMP3 and P14, is associated with colorectal carcinoma. 1 A recent study further showed that promoter hypermethylation of methylguanine DNA methyltransferase, human Mut L homolog-1 and vimentin in stool samples could be used as a feasible epigenetic biomarker for colorectal carcinoma screening. 2 Thus, promoter methylation of TSGs could serve as potential diagnostic, therapeutic and prognostic targets for colorectal carcinoma.