ALTERATION OF TELOMERIC REPEAT LENGTH IN HEPATOCELLULAR-CARCINOMA IS INDEPENDENT OF TELOMERASE ACTIVITY

Length of terminal restriction fragments (TRFs) was examined in 34 sam ples from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. TRF length alterati ons (reduction or elongation) were found in 18 of 34 (53%) HCC nodules (13 cases reduced, 5 cases elongated). The incidence of TRF alteratio n was significantly higher in HCC exceeding 3 cm in diameter, moderate ly- or poorly-differentiated in histology, or with microscopic aggress ive lesions (P<0.05). The survival rates were significantly higher in patients without alterations in TRFs (P<0.05). Specifically, all 5 cas es with elongated TRFs recurred within 1 year after resection and had a poor prognosis. In contrast, the presence of telomerase activity was not associated with alterations in TRF length. The incidence of TRF l ength alterations increased with HCC tumor progression.