Cellular senescence predicts treatment outcome in metastasised colorectal cancer.
BACKGROUND
Cellular senescence is a terminal cell-cycle arrest that occurs in response to activated oncogenes and DNA-damaging chemotherapy. Whether cancer cell senescence at diagnosis might be predictive for treatment outcome is unknown.


METHODS
A senescence index (SI) was developed and used to retrospectively correlate the treatment outcome of 30 UICC stage IV colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with their SI at diagnosis.


RESULTS
5-Fluorouracil/leucovorin-treated CRC patients achieved a significantly longer progression-free survival when presenting with SI-positive tumours before therapy (median 12.0 vs 6.0 months; P=0.044).


CONCLUSIONS
Cancer cell senescence predicts treatment outcome in metastasised CRC. Prospective analyses of larger patient cohorts are needed.
Haugstetter
A M
AM
Medical Department of Hematology, Oncology and Tumor Immunology, Molekulares Krebsforschungszentrum der Charité - MKFZ, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany.
Loddenkemper
C
C
Lenze
D
D
Gröne
J
J
Standfuss
C
C
Petersen
I
I
Dörken
B
B
Schmitt
C A
CA
D016922:Cellular Senescence; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000556:secondary; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D002955:Leucovorin; D005472:Fluorouracil