Detection of telomerase activity in the blood of patients with lung cancer

• Published in: Zhongguo fei ai za zhi Vol. 4; no. 1; p. 44
• Main Authors: Feng, J, Bao, G, Sha, H, Dong, Q, Li, C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Chinese
• Published: China Chinese Anti-Cancer Association Chinese Antituberculosis Association 20-02-2001
• Subjects: Lung cancer; Metastasis; Pulmonary arteries; Telomerase
• ISSN: 1009-3419; 1999-6187
• DOI: 10.3779/cjlc.v4i1.1720

To study the telomerase activity in blood cancer cells by TRAP for monitoring tumor metastasis in blood.
Twenty-five patients with lung cancer surgically treated and 35 patients before chemotherapy were determined for telomerase activity of cancer cells in the blood by TRAP, and 30 patients with non-tumor diseases as control.
In the operative group,13 patients(52%) showed telomerase activity in pulmonary artery blood during operation, which was much higher than that of peripheral blood before operation (24%,P<0.05). Telomerase positive rate was significantly higher in stage III to IV (64%) than that in stage I to II (30%,P<0.05).In the peripheral blood of patients with non-tumor diseases, telomerase was negative.
Telomerase activity may be an indicator for detecting lung cancer cells in peripheral blood as well as tumor metastasis and relapse.