A recent study led by researchers from the Institute for Genetic and Biomedical Research of the National Research Council (CNR‑IRGB), in collaboration with the University of Sassari, has identified a novel genomic signature capable of improving survival prediction in patients with colorectal cancer. The article, published in Oncology Research as “Seven-Gene Signature and Immune Microenvironment as Determinants of Survival Rate in Colorectal Carcinoma”, integrates transcriptomic profiling and immune microenvironment analysis to develop a more accurate approach to patient stratification.

The study analyzed RNA-sequencing data from 131 colorectal cancer patients, comparing tumor and normal tissues to identify molecular pathways associated with disease progression. Researchers detected more than 5,500 differentially expressed genes and highlighted the central role of biological processes linked to cell cycle regulation, TP53 signaling, WNT pathways, metabolism, and immune response.

A key finding was the development of a seven-gene prognostic signature composed of ASPH, BDKRB1, CACNB1, CCR8, CNGA3, MAP1A and OXTR. This model successfully distinguished patients with significantly different survival outcomes and demonstrated strong predictive performance, achieving an AUC of 0.84 at one year. These results were independently validated using data from the The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) colorectal cancer cohorts, confirming the robustness and reproducibility of the approach.

The study also revealed that specific immune cell populations within the tumor microenvironment are strongly associated with patient prognosis, reinforcing the concept that cancer evolution is shaped by the interaction between tumor genetics and host immunity. By combining molecular markers with clinical variables, the authors generated a predictive nomogram able to estimate 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival with high accuracy.

These findings underscore the growing contribution of the CNR-IRGB and the research group led by Andrea Angius to precision oncology, providing new tools for personalized risk assessment and paving the way toward more tailored therapeutic strategies for colorectal cancer patients.

This research was supported by Fondazione di Sardegna (2020), Italy, by Fondo di Beneficenza of Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A., B/2020/0094 and B/2025/0352, Italy and PRIN 2022WBLA3Z Ministry of University and Research.

LINK to original article: https://www.techscience.com/or/online/detail/27909