Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 6, 2026
12:08
Telomere Length and Telomerase Activity; A Yin and Yang of Cell Senescence
Published on: May 22, 2013
Telomere length is a prognostic factor in neuroblastoma
Anat Ohali1, Smadar Avigad, Shifra Ash
1Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Rabin Medical Campus, Petah Tikva, Israel.
Cancer
|August 19, 2006
Summary
Telomere length is a key prognostic marker in neuroblastoma. Short telomeres indicate a favorable prognosis, while long telomeres suggest a poor outcome, aiding in risk stratification for patients.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Telomere maintenance, often via telomerase reactivation, is crucial for tumor cell proliferation.
- Neuroblastoma progression and prognosis require better predictive markers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate telomere length and telomerase activity (TA) as prognostic markers in neuroblastoma.
- To correlate these markers with existing prognostic factors and patient outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of telomere length and TA in primary tumor samples from 51 neuroblastoma patients.
- Correlation of findings with established prognostic parameters and clinical outcomes.
Main Results:
- Telomere length significantly correlated with prognosis (P = .007), with shorter telomeres predicting a favorable outcome.
- In high-risk patients, telomere length identified a favorable subgroup with 86% progression-free survival (PFS) versus 36% in others (P = .04).
- Telomerase activity (TA) also correlated with outcome, with high TA linked to adverse outcomes and low TA to favorable outcomes (P = .01).
Conclusions:
- Telomere length is a highly significant and clinically relevant prognostic parameter in neuroblastoma.
- It is the sole significant parameter for identifying favorable prognosis subgroups within high-risk neuroblastoma patients.
- Inclusion of telomere length in diagnostic investigations for neuroblastoma is recommended.
