Telomerase Activity in Breast Cancer and Benign Breast Disease of Korea.
10.4048/jkbcs.1999.2.1.51
- Author:
Woo Chan PARK
1
;
Yong Jin SEO
;
Seung Hye CHOI
;
Young Kyoung YOU
;
Won Il CHO
;
Chung Soo KIM
;
Se Chung OH
;
Sang Seol JUNG
;
In Chul KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Surgery, Catholic University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Breast cancer;
Telomerase activity
- MeSH:
Breast Diseases*;
Breast Neoplasms*;
Breast*;
Diagnosis;
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay;
Estrogens;
Humans;
Korea*;
Operating Rooms;
RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase;
Sensitivity and Specificity;
Telomerase*;
Telomere Shortening
- From:Journal of Korean Breast Cancer Society
1999;2(1):51-56
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Telomerase is an RNA-dependent DNA polymerase that compensates for the telomere shortening that occurs in its absence. Reactivation of telomerase is thought to be an important step in cellular immortalization, and recent studies have indicated that telomerase activity is often detected in primary human malignancies. The purpose of this study is to identify telomerase activity in breast cancer. MATERIALS & METHODS: Telomerase activities were analyzed in the samples of 12 breast cancer tissues and 11 benign breast disease tissues by TRAPeze ELISA detection kit (Oncor, Gaithersburg, USA). All samples were obtained from the excised mass at the time of specimen removal in the operating room and stored in liquid-nitrogen tank. RESULTS: Telomerase activity was detected in 10 of 12 (83.3%) breast cancer samples and 4 of 11 (36.4%) benign breast disease samples. The detection of telomerase activity in diagnosis of breast cancer has validity: 83.3% sensitivity rate, 63.6% specificity rate, 71.4% (+) predictability rate, 77.8% (-) predictability rate. The telomerase activity correlates with the estrogen receptor status (p=0.009). CONCLUSION: The telomerase activity can be detected in breast cancer sensitively. Further study with sufficient samples is needed to establish detection of telomerase activity as diagnostic tool in breast cancer.
