Growth arrest-specific 5 (GAS5) in colorectal cancer: From molecular mechanisms and tumor suppression to clinical promise and therapeutic challenges

Nooshin Farrokhi; Mhammad Taha Nami

doi:10.66224/jcbior.7.3.370

Authors

Nooshin Farrokhi Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, School of Life Science and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
Mhammad Taha Nami Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, School of Life Science and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9446-1769

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.66224/jcbior.7.3.370

Keywords:

Colorectal cancer, Growth arrest-specific 5, Long non-coding RNA, Tumor progression, Cancer therapy

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major global health burden and remains a leading cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality. Despite advances in surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy, treatment resistance, tumor heterogeneity, and the limited response of microsatellite-stable/proficient mismatch repair (MSS/pMMR) tumors continue to present significant clinical challenges. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as important regulators of cancer-related processes, and growth arrest-specific 5 (GAS5) has attracted increasing attention because of its potential tumor-suppressive functions. This review summarizes the current evidence regarding the role of GAS5 in colorectal cancer, with particular emphasis on its molecular characteristics, regulatory mechanisms, and effects on tumor progression and therapeutic response. Available studies suggest that GAS5 expression is frequently reduced in CRC and that its dysregulation may be associated with increased tumor proliferation, invasion, disease progression, and unfavorable clinical outcomes. GAS5 may regulate CRC biology through interactions with signaling pathways, microRNAs, transcriptional regulators, and other molecular components involved in cancer development. Its potential involvement in treatment response and resistance further highlights its possible therapeutic relevance. However, most available evidence remains preclinical, and differences among study populations and experimental models limit the translation of current findings into clinical practice. Further well-designed clinical and mechanistic studies are needed to validate the prognostic and predictive value of GAS5 and to determine whether it can serve as a reliable biomarker or therapeutic target. Overall, GAS5 represents a promising area of investigation in CRC and may contribute to the development of more effective approaches to disease stratification and treatment.

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