title: Recurrent TERT promoter mutations in non-small cell lung cancers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The recurrent TERT promoter mutations have been recently described in diverse human cancers. We previously showed that over 60% of non-small cell lung cancer from East Asian harbored well-known oncogenic mutations in EGFR and KRAS. Here, we sought to determine the incidence, clinicopathologic characteristics, and association with known oncogenic mutations.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 467 patients treated surgically for primary lung cancer were examined for mutations in TERT promoter using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by Sanger sequencing. Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining was performed to detect the expression of TERT. Clinical characteristics including gender, age, smoking status, tumor size, differentiation, lymph node metastasis, TNM stage, overall survival and relapse-free survival were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 467 patients with non-small cell lung cancer, the TERT promoter mutation was detected in 12 patients. Of the 12 patients, 3 with C228T, 2 with C250T, 2 with C216T, 1 with C228A, 1 with C229G, 1 with G267C, 1 with C295T and 1 with G233C. Compared to the TERT mutation negative group, patients with TERT promoter mutation were significantly associated with older age (≥ 60 years, p = 0.039). No significant difference was found in overall survival (OS) or relapse-free survival (RFS) between TERT with mutation and TERT without mutation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TERT promoter mutations are recurrent mutated in 2.57% of NSCLCs and are highly enriched in older patients. It may play an important role in the pathogenesis of NSCLC and may serve as a potential target for therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Ranxia
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Yunjian
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Deng
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Jiaqing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Hecheng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China. Electronic address: sunyihua76@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Yihua
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China. Electronic address: hqchen1@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Haiquan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012907:Smoking; D019098:Telomerase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C509186:TERT protein, human; D019098:Telomerase
keywords: Clinicopathologic; Clinicopathological characteristics; Lung cancer; Recurrent; TERT mutation; Target