Abstract
Telomeric sequences, the structures comprised of hexanucleotide repeats and associated proteins, play a pivotal role in chromosome end protection and preservation of genomic stability. Herein we address telomere length (TL) dynamics in primary colorectal cancer (CRC) tumour tissues and corresponding liver metastases.
TL was measured by multiplex monochrome real-time qPCR in paired samples of primary tumours and liver metastases along with non-cancerous reference tissues obtained from 51 patients diagnosed with metastatic CRC. Telomere shortening was observed in the majority of primary tumour tissues compared to non-cancerous mucosa (84.1%, p = 0.387 were associated with increased overall survival (p = 0.01).
This study provides insights into TL dynamics during progression of the disease. The results show TL differences in metastatic lesions and may help in clinical practice to predict the patient's prognosis.