N7-Methylguanosine Modification in Colorectal Cancer: Molecular Insights and Clinical Implications.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, characterized by a multi-step carcinogenesis process involving genetic mutations and epigenetic alterations. Despite advances in screening and therapy, challenges such as treatment resistance, recurrence, and metastasis persist. Emerging evidence highlights the critical role of epigenetic modifications, particularly N7-methylguanosine (m7G), in post-transcriptional regulation. This ubiquitous RNA modification participates extensively in tumor biological behaviors by regulating RNA stability, processing, and translation. Studies have shown that dysregulation of m7G modification is closely associated with adverse clinical outcomes in CRC. This review systematically summarizes the biological functions of m7G modification and its key regulatory proteins (such as METTL1/WDR4, eIF4E, etc.), with a focus on their roles in the pathogenesis, progression, prognosis, and diagnosis of, as well as therapy for, colorectal cancer. m7G modification and related molecules hold potential as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets, thereby providing new strategies for the precision diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer.