[Detection of telomerase activity in bronchoscopic brush-off cells in lung cancer patients].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the diagnostic significance of the detection of telomerase activity in the exfoliated cells obtained from fiberobronchoscopic brushing.


METHODS
The techniques of TRAP-PCR-ELISA and TRAP-silver staining were employed to detecte telomerase activity in 57 cases with pulmonary diseases.


RESULTS
Telomerase activity in the lesion side of lung cancer patients (N = 23) was significantly higher than that in the contralateral side of the same patient (P < 0.05), and in patients with pneumonia (P < 0.05). Positive rate of telomerase activity detection in lung cancer patients (91.3%) was significantely higher than that of cytological examination (52.3%, P < 0.05). In 83.3% of the cases examined, exfoliated cells showing cytological dysplasia were found to be telomerase activity positive.


CONCLUSIONS
Detection of telomerase activity in the exfoliated cells obtained from fiberobronchoscopic brushing may be an effective and sensitive method in the diagnosis of pulmonary malignant diseases.
Second Affiliated Hosptal, Zhejiang Medical University, Hangzhou.
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X
Zhang
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K
Ying
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Cai
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000201:enzymology; D000328:Adult; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000201:enzymology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000201:enzymology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000201:enzymology; D019098:Telomerase / Q000378:metabolism*
D019098:Telomerase