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Published on: March 14, 2019
Circulating hTERT mRNA as a tumor marker in cholangiocarcinoma patients
Kawin Leelawat1, Surang Leelawat, Thawee Ratanachu-Ek
1Department of Surgery, Rajavithi Hospital, Rajavithi Rd, Rajathevi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand. kawin_leelawat@hotmail.com
Aim:
To investigate human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) mRNA in the serum of cholangiocarcinoma patients.
Methods:
The serum of thirty three cholangiocarcinoma patients, forty one benign biliary tract disease patients and ten healthy volunteers were collected and analyzed for the expression of hTERT mRNA by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). We then examined the correlation between values of serum hTERT mRNA and the pathological staging of cholangiocarcinoma.
Results:
hTERT mRNA was detected in 28 of 33 (84.85%) of serum obtained from cholangiocarcinoma patients and 9 of 41 (21.9%) of serum obtained from benign biliary tract disease patients. hTERT mRNA was not detected in any serum obtained from healthy volunteers. on the other hand the common tumor marker, CA19-9 was detected in 20 of 33 (60.6%) of serum obtained from cholangiocarcinoma patients and 8 of 41 (19.5%) of serum obtained from benign biliary tract disease patients. However, no correlation was found between the present of serum hTERT mRNA and tumor staging.
Conclusion:
These results indicate that the detection of circulating hTERT mRNA was identified in almost all cholangiocarcinoma patients. It offers a novel tumor marker, which can be used as a complementary study for diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma.
