Telomerase activity in surgical specimens and fine-needle aspiration biopsies from hyperplastic and neoplastic human thyroid tissues.
BACKGROUND
Telomerase activity (TA) indicates malignancy, but activated lymphocytes also express TA. Correlation between TA in thyroid tissues and fine-needle aspiration (FNA) samples and knowledge about TA in adjacent tissue are of importance.


METHODS
The telomeric repeat amplification protocol assay followed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay detection was performed on 78 thyroid cases including 53 suspected malignancies, preoperative and perioperative FNA specimens, and adjacent tissue.


RESULTS
Benign lesions in cancer-suspected cases were TA negative. Eight of 13 papillary (62%) and 4 of 5 follicular (80%) tumors were TA positive (TA+). Lower TA was observed in conventional papillary cancer than in follicular, tall cell variant of papillary and anaplastic cancers. Adjacent tissues with lymphocyte infiltration were TA+ in 9 of 17 cases (53%). Nine of 65 adjacent tissues (14%) were TA+. Three of 6 preoperative and 9 of 11 perioperative FNA samples from malignant tumors corresponded to the tissue TA. CONCLUSIONS; High TA may reflect more severe thyroid cancer. Telomerase activity in FNA biopsies does not add reliable diagnostic information, and presence of lymphocytes can give false-positive results.
Trulsson
Lena M
LM
Division of Surgery, Department of Biomedicine and Surgery, Faculty of Health Sciences, University Hospital, SE-581 85 Linköping, Sweden.
Velin
Asa K
AK
Herder
Anders
A
Söderkvist
Peter
P
Rüter
Anders
A
Smeds
Staffan
S
D018263:Adenocarcinoma, Follicular / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D019098:Telomerase / Q000378:metabolism*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019098:Telomerase