Erschienen in:
19.10.2016 | Review Article
Telomeres and telomerase in the clinical management of colorectal cancer
verfasst von:
C. Piñol-Felis, T. Fernández-Marcelo, J. Viñas-Salas, C. Valls-Bautista
Erschienen in:
Clinical and Translational Oncology
|
Ausgabe 4/2017
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Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide. Our aim is to describe the state of the art about the role of telomeres and telomerase in the clinical management of CRC and its potential utility as prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers and targets of new treatments. Telomere length could be a new diagnostic marker as an anomalous behavior is observed in peripheral blood cells when CRC patients and
healthy people are compared. Moreover, telomeres and telomerase may be used as diagnostic markers considering that universal changes appear along the CRC process. Currently, new therapeutic cancer approaches are focused on inhibiting the maintenance of telomere length, choosing as targets telomerase -or its subunits- or the Shelterin complex. The goal of these therapies is the shortening of telomeres and the induction of cell senescence. Telomeres and telomerase emerge as useful molecular tools in the clinical management of CRC.