[Detection of telomerase activity in laryngeal carcinoma and the association between telomerase activity and lymphatic metastasis].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the telomerase activity in human laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas (LSCC) and the association between telomerase activity and lymphatic metastasis.


METHODS
Telomerase activity was determined in 47 specimens of LSCC and 10 specimens of laryngeal inflammatory polyps using PCR-ELISA.


RESULTS
Telomerase activity was detected in 39 of 47 (83%) LSCC, but was not detected in all 10 laryngeal inflammatory polyps. There were significant differences between them (P < 0.01). Telomerase activation in LSCC with positive cervical lymph node involvement appeared to be higher (13 out of 13 cases, 100%) than in LSCC with negative cervical lymph node involvement (26 out of 34, 76.47%), (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Telomerase is activated frequently in LSCC and may become a biomarker of LSCC. The detection of telomerase activity in LSCC may have some value for predicting metastasis potential and prognosis and can guide the clinical practices applying selective neck dissection.
Lü
Q
Q
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Anhui Provincial Hospital, Hefei 230001.
Lü
S
S
Wang
M
M
Ye
F
F
Liu
R
R
Zhu
H
H
Dai
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000556:secondary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D019098:Telomerase / Q000378:metabolism*
D019098:Telomerase