Prognostic significance of a signature based on senescence-related genes in colorectal cancer

Abstract

Colorectal cancer, recognized as a quintessential age-related disease, underscores the intricate interplay between aging mechanisms and disease pathogenesis. Cellular senescence, a DNA damage-induced cellular stress response, is characterized by cell cycle arrest, the expression of an inflammatory senescence-associated secretory phenotype, and alterations in extracellular matrix metabolism. It is widely recognized as a fundamental and evolutionarily conserved mechanism of aging. Guided by geroscience principles, which assert that the pathogenesis of age-related diseases involves cellular mechanisms of aging, this study delves into the role of senescence-related genes in colon cancer progression. Leveraging a gene set reflective of senescence-associated pathways, we employed uni- and multivariate Cox proportional hazards survival analysis combined with the determination of the false discovery rate to analyze correlations between gene expression and survival. The integrated database of 1130 colon cancer specimens with available relapse-free survival time and relapse event data from ten independent cohorts provided a robust platform for survival analyses. We identified senescence-related genes associated with differential expression levels linked to shorter survival. Our findings unveil a prognostic signature utilizing cellular senescence-related genes (hazard ratio: 2.73, 95% CI 2.12–3.52, p = 6.4E − 16), offering valuable insights into survival prediction in colon cancer. Multivariate analysis underscored the independence of the senescence-related signature from available epidemiological and pathological variables. This study highlights the potential of senescence-related genes as prognostic biomarkers. Overall, our results underscore the pivotal role of cellular senescence, a fundamental mechanism of aging, in colon cancer progression.