[Application of combined telomerase activity analysis and immunocytochemistry in cytopathologic diagnosis].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the application of traditional cytomorphology, telomerase activity analysis and immunocytochemistry in cytopathologic diagnosis of pleural effusion and bronchoalveolar lavage samples.


METHODS
A total of 123 agar-paraffin double-embedded pleural effusion and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid samples were enrolled into study. The cytomorphologic features were reviewed and correlated with immunocytochemical findings and telomerase activity.


RESULTS
Telomerase activity was detected in 53 specimens using the real-time telomeric repeat amplification protocol. Amongst the cases studied, 39 samples (31.7%) contained overtly malignant cells while 20 cases (16.0%) were equivocal by conventional cytology. After verification by immunocytochemistry and clinical follow-up data, the diagnostic accuracy of telomerase activity and cytology was 87.0% and 82.1%, respectively. The sensitivity (97.6%) and specificity (100.0%) of cytology examination, when combined with telomerase activity analysis, were greater than those of cytology examination or telomerase activity analysis alone.


CONCLUSIONS
Telomerase activity analysis can be used as an adjunctive investigative tool in cytology assessment of pleural effusion and bronchoalveolar lavage samples. The diagnostic accuracy can be further improved with the application of immunocytochemistry on agar-paraffin double-embedded cell block tissues.
Department of Pathology, Tianjin Chest Hospital, Tianjin 300051, China. laylaly@yahoo.cn
Yan
Y
Liu
Mei-lin
ML
Xu
Jing
J
Wang
Bing-quan
BQ
Wu
Hao-hao
HH
Zhong
Wei-gang
WG
Fang
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D016066:Pleural Effusion, Malignant / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D019098:Telomerase / Q000378:metabolism*
D019098:Telomerase