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[Telomerase activity in liver cancer and the adjacent tissue]
1Cancer Institute (Hospital), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing.
Objective:
To investigate the possibility of using telomerase as a tumor marker for human primary hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC).
Methods:
Human liver specimens, comprising 33 HCC and adjacent peritumoral tissues, 4 hepatic metastases and the adjacent peritumoral tissues, 6 benign liver lesions and 6 normal liver tissues, were examined for telomerase activity by TRAP assay based on PCR.
Results:
Thirty of 33 HCC and 9 of 33 adjacent tissue specimens were positive for telomerase activity with a positive rate of 90.9% and 27.3%, respectively. Four hepatic metastatic cancer and 2 adjacent tissues were positive. Telomerase activity was negative in 6 nomal liver tissues and 5 of 6 benign liver lesions. There was no correlation between the clinical stage of HCC and their telomerase activity.
Conclusion:
Positive telomerase activity occurs in the majority of HCC examined. It can be used as a tumor marker in the diagnosis of HCC.