OBJECTIVEThis study was designed to investigate the significance of hTERT mRNA in breast carcinogenesis and to explore the diagnostic efficacy, and to study the effect of tumor suppressor gene p53 on the expression of hTERT mRNA.

METHODSThe expression of hTERT mRNA was examined by in situ hybridization in 12 cases of normal breast tissue nearby cancer, 7 of simple ductal hyperplasia, 20 of atypical hyperplasia, 18 of ductal carcinoma in situ and 25 with invasive ductal carcinoma. The expression of p53 protein were examined by immunohistochemistry in 43 carcinomas.

RESULTShTERT was not detected in normal breast tissue nearby cancer and simple ductal hyperplasia. The positive rate of hTERT mRNA in atypical hyperplasia, ductal carcinoma in situ and invasive ductal carcinoma were 25.0%, 83.3% and 88.0%, respectively. The prevalence and intensity of hTERT mRNA expression were much greater in carcinoma than those in simple or atypical hyperplasia and normal breast tissue nearby cancer (P < 0.05). The expression of hTERT was not correlated with tumor size and lymph node metastasis (P > 0.05). The positive correlation between hTERT mRNA and p53 was found in breast carcinoma (r = 0.5540, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONhTERT mRNA expression is closely related to the malignant transformation of breast tissue. Semi-quantitative detection of hTERT mRNA expression in situ is helpful in differentiated diagnosis of carcinoma in situ and atypical hyperplasia. Inactivation of p53 may play a role in the transcriptive activation of hTERT gene in breast carcinoma.