PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - ZUZANA KUNICKÁ
AU  - IGOR MUCHA
AU  - JIŘÍ FAJKUS
TI  - Telomerase Activity in Head and Neck Cancer
DP  - 2008 Sep 01
TA  - Anticancer Research
PG  - 3125--3129
VI  - 28
IP  - 5B
4099  - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/28/5B/3125.short
4100  - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/28/5B/3125.full
SO  - Anticancer Res2008 Sep 01; 28
AB  - Background: Telomerase activity is associated with many malignancies, including head and neck cancer. The use of telomerase activity as a diagnostic and prognostic marker of head and neck cancer development was examined and compared with standard histological analysis. Patients and Methods: Telomerase activity was determined using quantitative dual-colour real-time TRAP (telomeric repeat amplification protocol). In each of 58 patients, a sample of tumour tissue, adjacent mucosa and normal muscle was collected. Results: Telomerase activation was observed in 88% of tumour tissues and 34% of tumour-adjacent mucosa samples. No telomerase activity was detected in normal muscle tissues. Telomerase activity correlated with tumour grade, with an average of 4.6 telomerase units (T.U.) in well-differentiated, 8.3 T.U. in moderately-differentiated and 20 T.U. in poorly differentiated tumours. Relapse occurred in 13 patients and no telomerase activity was detected in 3 recurrent tumours. Conclusion: Telomerase activity may be used as an objective parameter inversely related to tumour differentiation. Prognosis in telomerase-negative tumours is worse than that of the telomerase-positive group. Copyright© 2008 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved