# GAS5 rs145204276 Ins/Del Polymorphism Is Associated with CRC Susceptibility in a Romanian Population

## TL;DR

A genetic variation in the GAS5 gene is linked to higher colorectal cancer risk in a Romanian population, especially for distal colon cancer and advanced stages.

## Contribution

Identifies a novel association between the GAS5 rs145204276 polymorphism and CRC susceptibility in a Romanian cohort.

## Key findings

- GAS5 rs145204276 del allele carriers had a 2.13-fold increased CRC risk.
- The polymorphism was strongly associated with distal colon cancer, advanced stages, and poorly differentiated tumors.
- CASC8 rs10505477 A>G showed no significant link to CRC risk in this study.

## Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality, influenced by both genetic and epigenetic factors. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) such as GAS5 and CASC8 have been implicated in cancer susceptibility. This study aimed to assess the association of GAS5 rs145204276 ins/del and CASC8 rs10505477 A>G polymorphisms with CRC risk in a Romanian population. A case-control study was conducted, including 156 CRC patients and 195 healthy controls. Genotyping for GAS5 and CASC8 polymorphisms was performed using real-time PCR, and the association with CRC risk was evaluated using logistic regression to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). The carriers of GAS5 rs145204276 del allele was significantly associated with increased CRC risk (OR: 2.13, 95% CI: 1.24–3.63, p = 0.005) in a dominant model. In the subgroup analysis, the association of GAS5 rs145204276 ins/del polymorphism was restricted to distal colon cancer cases (OR: 2.98, 95% CI: 1.57–5.66, p = 0.001), advanced tumor stages (III + IV) (OR: 2.54, 95% CI: 1.31–4.91, p = 0.007), and poorly differentiated tumors (G3) (OR: 3.98, 95% CI: 1.49–10.59, p = 0.009). No significant correlation was found for the CASC8 rs10505477 A>G polymorphism. GAS5 rs145204276 polymorphism may influence CRC susceptibility, particularly in distal tumors and advanced stages. However, CASC8 rs10505477 polymorphism showed no association with CRC risk in this Romanian cohort.