Telomerase activity in pancreatic endocrine tumours: a potential marker for malignancy

Aims-Telomerase activation is known to be a common event in human cancer an d may be a useful marker for malignancy. In general, the histological featu res of pancreatic endocrine tumours cannot be used to determine their malig nant potential. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of testin g telomerase activity in pancreatic endocrine tumours. Methods-Prospectively collected fresh frozen tissue specimens from 10 patie nts with pancreatic endocrine tumours (nine insulinomas, one adrenocorticot rophin producing pancreatic endocrine tumour) were examined by a highly sen sitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based telomerase repeat protocol (TR AP). Results-Of the 10 pancreatic endocrine tumours, three had telomerase activi ty. The positive cases included two frankly malignant tumours with liver me tastases and one pancreatic endocrine tumour occurring in the setting of mu ltiple endocrine neoplasia type 1. The latter had an infiltrative border. V ascular and perineural tumour infiltration was noted. In the two malignant pancreatic endocrine tumours with liver metastases, telomerase activity was noted in the tumour and the adjacent morphologically non-neoplastic pancre as. Conclusion-To our knowledge, this is the first report of the role of telome rase activity in pancreatic endocrine tumours. Telomerase activity might be useful for distinguishing between benign and malignant pancreatic endocrin e tumours.