Diagnostic value of telomerase activity in gynecologic malignancies

We investigated the diagnostic significance of telomerase activity in gynec ological malignancies. Tissue samples were obtained from 24 cervical cancer s, 27 uterine cancers (22 endometrial cancers and five sarcomas), 33 ovaria n cancers (31 epithelial tumors and 2 germ cell tumors), and 11 benign ovar ian tumors. In addition, cervical cytology specimens were obtained from 30 squamous intraepithelial lesions (13 low grade and 17 high grade), and from 22 normal females. Telomerase activity was detected using the TRAP assay, and the relative telomerase activity was obtained using the BioMax DNA imag e analysis system. Telomerase activity was detected in 22/24 (91.7%) cervic al cancers, 23/27 (85.2%) uterine tumors and 30/33 (90.9%) ovarian cancers. Weak telomerase activity was detected in two mature cystic teratomas and a lso found in 9/17 (52.9%) high grade SIL and 2/13 (15.4%) low grade lesions . Telomerase activity showed no relationship with tumor histology or clinic al stage, and there was no statistically significant difference between pat ients with uterine cancer and ovarian cancer. Relative telomerase activity showed a correlation with the dilution assay, and significantly higher telo merase activity was found in uterine cervical cancer compared with precance rous lesions and in ovarian cancer compared with benign ovarian tumors. Aft er establishment of an assay for telomerase, it may be useful for cancer di agnosis and identification of high-risk groups.