[Telomerase activity in gastric cancer and premalignant lesions: determination and its clinical significance].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the role of telomerase activity in the development and progression of gastric cancer (GC) and if knowedge of telomerase activity may be an indicator for the early diagnosis and poteneial treatment of GC.


METHODS
Using PCR-based TRAP (telomeric repeats amplification protocol) assay, we examined telomerase activity in 176 samples of gastric mucosa. Meanwhile, some tumor tissues were also analyzed by serial dilution.


RESULTS
Telomerase activity detected in chronic atrophy gastritis (CAG), intestinal metaplasia (IM); dysplasia (Dys); and gastric cancer (GC) was 24.6% (14/57), 38.9% (7/18), 37.5% (3/8), and 92.3% (60/65) respectively; which was significantly higher than that in normal tissues (NT) (P < 0.01-0.05). Telomerase activity in group of GC was also significantly higher than that in group of CAG, IM and Dys (P < 0.01). Frequencye and levels of telomerase activity were not associated with patients' sex, tumor location, size gross type, depth of invasion, lymph node metastases, differentiation and clinical stage.


CONCLUSIONS
Telomerase activity is detected not only in GC tissues, but also in some premalignant lesions or diseases.
Yang
S
S
Department of Gastroenterology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing.
Fang
D
D
Luo
Y
Y
D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000201:enzymology*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology*; D019098:Telomerase / Q000378:metabolism*
D019098:Telomerase