hTERT expression is a prognostic factor of survival in patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer.
Activation of telomerase plays a critical role in unlimited proliferation and immortalization of cells. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the significance of human telomerase reverse transcriptase catalytic subunit (hTERT) as a prognostic marker. The expression of hTERT in a large population of 153 patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer was analyzed using the in situ hybridization technique. We found that diffuse and clear hTERT expression was present in 51 (33%) of 153 patients. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that hTERT expression was associated with shorter overall survival (P = 0.04), shorter disease-specific survival (P = 0.03), and shorter disease-free survival (P = 0.02). Multivariate analysis confirmed this independent prognostic value of hTERT expression. Our results indicated that hTERT mRNA expression is associated with malignant tumor progression and poor outcome. hTERT may serve as a useful marker to identify patients with poor prognosis and to select patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer who might benefit from adjuvant treatment.
Wang
Luo
L
Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Soria
Jean-Charles
JC
Kemp
Bonnie L
BL
Liu
Diane D
DD
Mao
Li
L
Khuri
Fadlo R
FR
D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D002423:Cause of Death; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D015993:Life Tables; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D019098:Telomerase / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D019098:Telomerase