title: A study on telomerase activity and prognosis in breast cancer.
abstract: There are still many questions to be elucidated concerning the relationship between telomerase activity and various factors associated with cancer. Whether or not the level of telomerase activity could be a prognostic factor in breast cancer was investigated through 5-yr follow-up observation. Telomerase activity was quantified by the fluorescence-based telomeric repeat amplification protocol assay in 54 patients with breast cancer and its relationship with patient prognosis was examined. Telomerase activity was detected in 92.6% of breast cancer patients, with a median of 65.4 TPG (total product generated) (Min 0-Max 446.2). The follow-up observation for 5 yr demonstrated that among background factors examined, recurrence was the only factor that showed a significant association with the level of telomerase activity when a cutoff at 100 TPG was adopted. This suggested the possibility of 100 TPG telomerase activity being a prognostic factor for recurrence. Prospective studies will be necessary to clarify this matter.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Gunma Cancer Center, 617-1 Takabayashi-nishi, Ohta City, Gunma 373-8550, Japan. mkimura@gk9.50-net.ne.jp
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koida
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yanagita
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000628:therapy; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D019098:Telomerase / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019098:Telomerase