TY - JOUR
T1 - Telomerase activity in lung cancer cells obtained from bronchial washings
AU - Yahata, Naoyuki
AU - Ohyashiki, Kazuma
AU - Ohyashiki, Junko H.
AU - Iwama, Hiroshi
AU - Hayashi, Shigefumi
AU - Ando, Keiko
AU - Hirano, Takashi
AU - Tsuchida, Takaaki
AU - Kato, Harubumi
AU - Shay, Jerry W.
AU - Toyama, Keisuke
N1 - Funding Information:
Supported in part by a grant from the Private School Foundation, and a grant-in-aid from the Ministry of Health and Welfare for the Second Term Comprehensive 10-year Strategy for Cancer Control, Japan; a grant from the Kyowa Hakko Co. Ltd. (Tokyo); and Public Health Service Lung Cancer SPORE [Specialized Program of Research Excellence] grant, CA70907, to J.W. Shay from the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services.
PY - 1998/5/6
Y1 - 1998/5/6
N2 - Background: Telomerase, a ribonucleoprotein enzyme that functions in the maintenance of telomeres (specialized structures at the ends of chromosomes), has been reported to be a novel diagnostic marker for malignant diseases. We sought to determine whether measurement of telomerase activity in bronchial washings is of value in the diagnosis of lung cancer. Methods: Extracts of cells in bronchial washings were analyzed for telomerase activity by use of a telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) assay. Telomerase activity inside cells was evaluated by use of an in situ TRAP assay. The results of both TRAP assays were compared with those obtained from cytologic examination, which employed standard Papanicolaou staining. Results: When results from the two TRAP assays were combined, telomerase activity was detected in bronchial washings from 18 (82%; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 60%-95%) of 22 patients with lung cancer. In contrast, cancer cells were detected by cytologic examination in the bronchial washings of nine (41%; 95% CI = 21%-64%) of the same 22 patients, a statistically significant difference (two-sided P = .0061). In patients with lung cancer, telomerase-positive cells could be detected in bronchial washings irrespective of tumor location - 11 of 14 (79%; 95% CI = 49%-95%) peripheral cancerous lesions and seven of eight (88%; 95% CI = 47%-100%) central cancerous lesions were detected by use of TRAP assays (for comparison, two-sided P =.5349). Conclusions: A high percentage of patients with lung cancers had detectable telomerase activity in bronchial washings. Thus, the use of a cell extract-based or an in situ TRAP assay in addition to cytologic examination may make the diagnosis of lung cancer more reliable.
AB - Background: Telomerase, a ribonucleoprotein enzyme that functions in the maintenance of telomeres (specialized structures at the ends of chromosomes), has been reported to be a novel diagnostic marker for malignant diseases. We sought to determine whether measurement of telomerase activity in bronchial washings is of value in the diagnosis of lung cancer. Methods: Extracts of cells in bronchial washings were analyzed for telomerase activity by use of a telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) assay. Telomerase activity inside cells was evaluated by use of an in situ TRAP assay. The results of both TRAP assays were compared with those obtained from cytologic examination, which employed standard Papanicolaou staining. Results: When results from the two TRAP assays were combined, telomerase activity was detected in bronchial washings from 18 (82%; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 60%-95%) of 22 patients with lung cancer. In contrast, cancer cells were detected by cytologic examination in the bronchial washings of nine (41%; 95% CI = 21%-64%) of the same 22 patients, a statistically significant difference (two-sided P = .0061). In patients with lung cancer, telomerase-positive cells could be detected in bronchial washings irrespective of tumor location - 11 of 14 (79%; 95% CI = 49%-95%) peripheral cancerous lesions and seven of eight (88%; 95% CI = 47%-100%) central cancerous lesions were detected by use of TRAP assays (for comparison, two-sided P =.5349). Conclusions: A high percentage of patients with lung cancers had detectable telomerase activity in bronchial washings. Thus, the use of a cell extract-based or an in situ TRAP assay in addition to cytologic examination may make the diagnosis of lung cancer more reliable.
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U2 - 10.1093/jnci/90.9.684
DO - 10.1093/jnci/90.9.684
M3 - Article
C2 - 9586665
AN - SCOPUS:0032490118
SN - 0027-8874
VL - 90
SP - 684
EP - 690
JO - Journal of the National Cancer Institute
JF - Journal of the National Cancer Institute
IS - 9
ER -