Level C· Early human research exploring benefitsProspective StudyEurope PMCOpen access

Role of telomere maintenance genes as a predictive biomarker for colorectal cancer immunotherapy response and prognosis

Wang Z., Zhao C., Huang Y., Li C.

Prospective Study, published in Biomol Biomed (2025) — summary generated from the PubMed abstract.

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Level C· Early human research exploring benefitsEvidence level of this study

Early human evidence such as case series or small samples is exploring possible benefits.

  • Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
  • Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
  • Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
  • Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
  • Emerging · Emerging topic under active research
Read the A–D evidence level guide

This page is generated from the PubMed record. The Thai description is an automated summary of bibliographic fields and the abstract, not a full translation, and is not medical advice.

Study type
Prospective Study
Journal
Biomol Biomed (2025)
Reported sample size
—
Source database
Europe PMC
PMID
40613523
PMCID
PMC12461268
DOI
10.17305/bb.2025.12053

Abstract (original English)

Colorectal cancer (CRC) represents a significant global health challenge. Although telomere maintenance plays a crucial role in tumorigenesis, the prognostic value and immunotherapeutic relevance of telomere maintenance genes (TMGs) in CRC remain poorly understood. In this study, relevant data were retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. TMG scores were calculated using the single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) method, and TMGs associated with prognosis were subsequently identified. TCGA-CRC samples were classified into subtypes via consensus clustering (ConsensusClusterPlus). A risk prediction model was then constructed using univariate and Lasso Cox regression analyses. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier curves generated with the survival package. Key genes were validated in vitro using cellular models. Immune cell infiltration was evaluated through ssGSEA, TIMER, and MCP-Counter tools, and chemotherapy responses were predicted using the pRRophetic package. From 28 prognosis-related TMGs, two distinct CRC subtypes were established, with subtype C1 demonstrating more favorable clinical outcomes. Additionally, a risk model incorporating seven TMG-related genes (CDC25C, CXCL1, RTL8C, FABP4, ITLN1, MUC12, and ERI1) was developed for CRC prognosis. Differential mRNA expression levels of these gene

What this study does not prove

  • • This study does not prove SVF is an approved treatment or a replacement for standard care.

Evidence level

Early human evidence such as case series or small samples is exploring possible benefits.

How we grade evidence
Cell Line, TumorTelomereHumansColorectal NeoplasmsPrognosisImmunotherapyGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticFemaleMaleTelomere Homeostasis

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