Distinctive chromosomal, mutational and transcriptional profiling in colon versus rectal cancers.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) encompasses tumors arising in the colon (CC) and rectum (RC), often treated as a single disease despite emerging evidence of biological divergence. Understanding the molecular differences between CC and RC is critical for improving diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic strategies.

Methods

We performed an integrated genomic and transcriptomic analysis of CC and RC data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) to investigate their degree of similarity and observed that these tumors present distinct molecular profiles, which suggest an evolution through divergent pathways. Comparative analyses included copy number alterations (CNAs), somatic mutations, driver gene prediction, differential gene expression, pathway enrichment, and survival analysis.<

SUBMITTER: De Angelis MT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12330160 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature