Telomere Length as a Prognostic Factor for Overall Survival in Colorectal Cancer Patients

Abstract

Background/Aims: The stabilization of telomere length has important roles in the carcinogenesis of colorectal cancer. A systemic review and meta-analysis of published studies was performed to assess the prognostic role of telomere length in colorectal cancer. Methods: Pubmed and Embase were searched for eligible studies on the association between telomere length and overall survival in colorectal cancer patients. The pooled hazard ratio (HR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) was calculated using fixed-effects or random-effects model according to the magnitude of between-study heterogeneity. Results: Seven individual studies with a total of 956 colorectal cancer patients were included. Long telomere length in cancer tissues was marginally associated with poorer overall survival (Random-effects HR = 1.85, 95% 0.90 to 3.83, P = 0.09). When using studies with adjusted estimates, long telomere length in cancer tissues was independently and significantly associated with poorer overall survival (Fixed-effects HR = 2.70, 95% 1.51 to 4.84, P = 0.001). However, short telomere length in peripheral blood leukocytes was independently and significantly associated with poorer overall survival (Fixed-effects HR = 2.01, 95% 1.46 to 2.77, P < 0.001). Conclusions: There is some evidence for telomere length as a prognostic factor for overall survival in colorectal cancer patients. More studies with large number of participants are needed to further assess the prognostic significance of telomere length in colorectal cancer patients.

Obesity And Telomere Status In The Prognosis Of Colorectal Cancer Patients Submitted To Curative Intention Surgical Treatment

“…Although the activity of telomerase was positive in most of the tumors considered in our study, we detected a significant shortening of telomeres in the tumor samples compared to the mean values of the telomere length observed in the non-tumoral paired tissues, as previously reported by others (12,25). Furthermore, according to the results obtained in the present investigation, the lower mean values of telomere length, both in tumors and in their non-tumoral paired tissues, were associated with earlier stages of Dukes, in agreement with other groups (26). Thus, these data prove that shorter telomeres are associated with cancers that, a priori, would confer a better prognosis to patients with CRC.…”

Prognostic relevance of telomere length and telomerase reverse transcriptase variant (rs2242652) on the multiple myeloma patients

“…Similar finding was recently reported by Hyatt et al, who revealed that patients with short telomeres had a significantly shorter overall survival. Also, in agreement with Jia and Wang; they assessed the prognostic role of telomere length in colorectal cancer that associated with poor overall survival, similar finding was reported by Barczak et al; in breast cancer. In contrast to our finding, Svenson et al found that patients with long leukocyte telomeres had a significantly worse prostate cancer‐specific and metastasis‐free survival compared to patients with short telomere length.…”

Cancer Treatment as an Accelerated Aging Process: Assessment, Biomarkers, and Interventions

“…Telomere length as well as the proteins that play a role in telomere length are also of great interest as markers that may predict survival, functional status, and toxicity, 27,28 and studies are underway to further define the potential role of telomere length as a predictor of cancer-related outcomes. Another emerging marker of great potential benefit as a predictor of toxicity and outcomes is p16ink4a.…”