Purpose:

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most fatal tumors worldwide. In Egypt, most CRC cases occur in individuals > 40 years old. TUG1 has been proved to be disrupted in different malignancies and may have a critical role in tumor progression, invasion, and metastasis. However, its role in CRC has not been adequately studied. Materials / Methods: Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to evaluate the expression levels of long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) taurine upregulated gene 1 (TUG1), in nonmetastatic and metastatic CRC tissues and adjacent noncancerous tissues as control.

Results:

LncRNA TUG1 expression was significantly upregulated in both nonmetastatic and metastatic CRC tissues, in comparison with the adjacent noncancerous tissue. It was found that TUG1 could have a possible prognostic role in CRC, by comparing the sensitivity and specificity of TUG1 with those of CEA and CA19-9.

Conclusion:

The results of the current study suggest that the LncRNA TUG1 participates in the malignant behaviors of CRC cells. (AU)