title: [Study on the clinical value of telomerase activity in exfoliated cells of sputum from lung cancer patients].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To investigate the clinical value of the detection of telomerase activity in the sputum specimens of lung cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  The telomerase activity in sputum specimens was detected in 45 case of lung cancer and 25 cases of benign pulmonary diseases and 2 cases of metastatic carcinoma of the lung by PCR-ELISA assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty five sputum specimens from lung cancer patients were positive for telomerase activity, and the sensitivity was 55.6% (25/45); seven sputum specimens from benign pulmonary diseases were positive, and the sensitivity was 28.0% (7/25). Significant difference was existed between the two groups (Chi-Square=5.628, P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Detection of telomerase activity in the sputum specimens may be helpful to differentiate malignant from benign pulmonary diseases.
authors.affiliation: Lanzhou Medical College, Lanzhou, Cansu 730000, P.R.China.
authors.forename: Jinliang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jiaqi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhengguang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: An
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ju