Telomeric sequences, the structures comprised of hexanucleotide repeats and associated proteins, play a pivotal role in chromosome end protection and preservation of genomic stability. Herein we address telomere length (TL) dynamics in primary colorectal cancer (CRC) tumour tissues and corresponding liver metastases. TL was measured by multiplex monochrome real-time qPCR in paired samples of primary tumours and liver metastases along with non-cancerous reference tissues obtained from 51 patients diagnosed with metastatic CRC. Telomere shortening was observed in the majority of primary tumour tissues compared to non-cancerous mucosa (84.1%, p < 0.0001). Tumours located within the proximal colon had shorter TL than those in the rectum (p < 0.05). TL in liver metastases was not significantly different from that in primary tumours (p = 0.41). TL in metastatic tissue was shorter in the patients diagnosed with metachronous liver metastases than in those diagnosed with synchronous liver metastases (p = 0.03). The metastatic liver lesions size correlated with the TL in metastases (p < 0.05). Following the neoadjuvant treatment, the patients with rectal cancer had shortened telomeres in tumour tissue than prior to the therapy (p = 0.01). Patients with a TL ratio between tumour tissue and the adjacent non-cancerous mucosa of ≥ 0.387 were associated with increased overall survival (p = 0.01). This study provides insights into TL dynamics during progression of the disease. The results show TL differences in metastatic lesions and may help in clinical practice to predict the patient's prognosis.

Biomedical Centre Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen Charles University Alej Svobody 76 323 00 Pilsen Czech Republic

Department of Molecular Biology of Cancer Institute of Experimental Medicine of the Czech Academy of Sciences Videnska 1083 142 20 Prague Czech Republic

Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy Charles University Medical Faculty and University Hospital in Hradec Kralove Simkova 870 500 38 Hradec Kralove Czech Republic

Institute of Biology and Medical Genetics 1St Faculty of Medicine Charles University Albertov 4 128 00 Prague Czech Republic

The Fingerland Department of Pathology University Hospital in Hradec Kralove Sokolska 581 50005 Hradec Kralove Czech Republic

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