title: [Study and detection of telomerase activity in oral squamous cell carcinomas and precancerous lesions].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To find out the expression of telomerase activity in oral squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) and oral precancerous lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Telomerase activity was examined by telomerase PCR ELISA assay and telomere repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) electrophoresis. 60 fresh oral specimens were selected, including 20 oral SCC, 30 oral precancerous lesions (10 oral leukoplakia, LK, 20 oral lichen planus, LP) and 10 normal mucosa (NM).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Telomerase activity detected in SCC (0.128) was highest among all of the tissues(LK: 0.054, LP: 0.0094, NM: 0.0014). Statistical difference was notable between SCC and LK, LP, NM (P < 0.01). A little difference was detected between LK, LP and NM. No difference was found between LK, and LP (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Telomerase may play an important role during oncogenesis of oral precancerous lesions, and may be a good molecular biomarker for observing the cancerization ability of precancerous lesion and estimating its prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Medical University, Hangzhou 310003.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000201:enzymology; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000201:enzymology; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000201:enzymology*; D019098:Telomerase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019098:Telomerase