Telomeres in Gastrointestinal Cancers
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: DNA repeats and protective proteins, which comprise telomere complexes, are crucial for genomic integrity; however, the inherent limitations of DNA end-replication through cell divisions lead to age-dependent telomere shortening. Telomere attrition, besides being a quintessential characteristic of aging, acts as a natural tumor suppressor mechanism by inhibiting unlimited cell division. Constitutive telomere length, a heritable trait, is associated with various cancers. Oxidative DNA damage and replicative stress, driven by genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors, also contribute to telomere shortening. Besides, telomere maintenance dynamics within tumors and within cells in the tumor microenvironment critically influence outcomes in different cancers. Within tumors, despite activated elongation mechanisms, various functional constraints result in short telomeres, indicating a crucial role for telomere biology components in cancer outcomes. In this review, we explored the telomere length in leucocytes and cancer tissues in relation to risk and survival in major gastrointestinal cancers, including colorectal, pancreatic, and esophageal cancers.
Source: Preprints.org
Language: English
Subfield: Physiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7202291185