title: hTERT gene amplification and clinical significance in pleural effusions of patients with lung cancer.
abstract: METHODS
  Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene amplification was detected in pleural effusions of patients with lung cancer (n = 69) and in patients with benign lung disease (n = 46) when using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  hTERT gene relative copy numbers were significantly higher in effusions from patients with malignant, adenocarcinoma and small-cell lung cancer than in effusions from patients with benign lung disease (P < .01). By using a threshold value of 1.39, hTERT gene amplification was significantly more frequent in malignant effusions compared with benign effusions and more likely to be positive for malignant effusions, compared with cytology (P < .01). The diagnostic performance of qPCR of hTERT gene amplification was significantly higher than that of cytology, in terms of sensitivity (91.3% vs. 56.5%), negative predictive value (87.8% vs. 60.5%), and accuracy (92.2% vs. 73.9%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Detecting hTERT gene amplification by qPCR appears suitable for distinguishing carcinoma cells from reactive mesothelial cells in pleural effusions. hTERT gene amplification was more sensitive than cytology and may be useful for diagnosing pleural micrometastases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital and College of Basic Medical Sciences, China.
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.forename: Xiao-Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yu-Jie
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: En-Hua
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Guang-Ping
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061206:Neoplasm Micrometastasis; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D016066:Pleural Effusion, Malignant / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D019098:Telomerase / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019098:Telomerase