Scientists have found that intestinal stem cells accumulate molecular changes as they age that silently alter how genes are turned on and off. They refer to this process as "epigenetic drift" and it has a clear, repeatable pattern. The same pattern appears in the aging gut and in most cases of colon cancer. Some parts of the intestinal tissue age faster than others, resulting in a patchwork of weakened areas more prone to degeneration. This hidden aging program thus increases the risk of colon cancer. The researchers also showed that the epigenetic shift can be slowed by restoring iron levels. It can also be partially reversed by modifying key cellular signaling pathways.