Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 8, 2026

Competing-Risk Nomogram for Predicting Cancer-Specific Survival in Multiple Primary Colorectal Cancer Patients after Surgery
Published on: September 27, 2024
Telomere length is a prognostic factor for overall survival in colorectal cancer
Aim:
The aim of this study was to determine whether telomere length is an independent prognostic factor for the prevention and survival of colorectal cancer.
Method:
Terminal restriction fragment (TRF) length was determined by Southern blot in tumours and paired normal tissue samples from 147 patients with sporadic colorectal cancer who had undergone surgery. The TRF length ratio (TRFLR) was determined as the ratio between the length of the patient's tumour and normal tissue.The classification and regression tree technique was used to determine optimal cut-off values (≤ 1 or > 1).
Results:
Mean TRF length was 6.79 Kbp (1.19-13.99) in tumour tissue and 7.81 Kbp (3.63-15.70) in normal mucosa (P < 0.001). Mean TRFLR was 0.88. Telomere length and telomere length ratio were not correlated with any clinicopathological factors. In univariate analysis, overall survival was related to N stage (lymph node +/-; P = 0.002), TNM classification (P = 0.019) and TRFLR (≤ 1 or > 1; P = 0.014). In multivariate analysis, overall survival was significantly associated with TRFLR and N stage. Colorectal cancer patients with TRFLR ≤ 1 and negative lymph node involvement had a higher overall survival rate.
Conclusion:
Telomere length ratio is an independent prognostic factor for survival in colorectal cancer patients, and the telomere lengths in the normal and tumour mucosa of the same patient present with parallel behaviour.
Related Concept Videos
Replicative Cell Senescence
Cancer Survival Analysis
Telomeres and Telomerase
Telomeres and Telomerase
lncRNA - Long Non-coding RNAs
Tumor Progression
Colon cancer is one of the best-documented examples of tumor progression. Early mutation in the APC gene in colon cells causes a small growth on the colon wall called a polyp. With time, this polyp grows into a benign, pre-cancerous tumor. Further...

