title: The relationship between telomere length and telomerase activity in gynecologic cancers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In recent years, many studies have been published regarding telomere length and telomerase activity in malignant tissues. However, it is not enough that telomere length and telomerase activity in gynecologic cancers have been measured at same time. We investigated the relationship between telomere length and telomerase activity in gynecologic cancers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 52 gynecologic cancers (15 ovarian cancers, 23 endometrial cancers, 14 cervical cancers) were obtained at the time of surgery. The specimens were analyzed for telomerase activity and telomere length with the TRAP(EZE) ELISA kit and Southern blot, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Telomerase activity was detected in 42 of 50 (84.0%) of all evaluable specimens, in 11/15 (73.3%) ovarian, 18/22 (81.8%) endometrial, and in 13/13 (100%) cervical cancers. The difference of positive strength (DeltaA value) between stage I and III was statistically significant (P = 0.01, ANOVA test). Changes in telomere length by shortening or elongation were detected in 35 of 52 (67.3%) tumors, in 9/15 (60.0%) ovarian, 17/23 (73.9%) endometrial, and 9/14 (64.3%) cervical cancers. There was no detectable relationship between telomere length and stage of disease, pathologic diagnosis (ovarian, endometrial, and cervical cancers), or telomerase activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was no relationship between telomerase activity and telomere length. The clinical significance of telomere length appears to be limited in gynecologic cancers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dokkyo University School of Medicine, Tochigi, 321-0293, Japan. wang@dokkyomed.ac.jp
authors.forename: Shi-Jun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Takanori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: Shin-ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yasuda Si
authors.forename: Ichio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fukasawa
authors.forename: Yoriko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ota
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Takeyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okura
authors.forename: Jian-Hua
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Noriyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Inaba
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D019098:Telomerase / Q000378:metabolism*; D016615:Telomere / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D019098:Telomerase