[Telomerase activity in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the activity of telomerase in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the correlation of telomerase activity with the cancer development.


METHODS
Totally 48 cases of NSCLC tissues were studied accompanied with 7 cases of normal lung tissues and 12 samples of lung tissues adjacent to the tumor. The telomerase activity was detected using Telomerase PCR ELISA kit. Statistics study included chi(2)-test and the exact probabilities. The significance level chosen was P value less than 0.05 (P < 0.05), and all tests were two-sided.


RESULTS
75% (36/48) of NSCLC tissues possessed the expression of telomerase activity and only 8.33% (1/12) of tissues adjacent to tumor and none of the normal lung tissue enabled to express telomerase activity. The statistical difference was significant (P < 0.05). No significant difference was found between different histological types of NSCLC, however, the frequency of telomerase expression differed significantly between tumors of well/mordeately differentiated and poorly differentiated; stage I and stage II/III.


CONCLUSIONS
Telomerase activity might be a good marker in estimating the occurrence, development and diagnosis of NSCLC.
Liu
H
H
Laboratory for Molecular Biology, Experimental Centor, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China.
Zhang
W
W
Cai
C
C
Xu
J
J
Xu
Y
Y
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D019098:Telomerase / Q000378:metabolism*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019098:Telomerase