[Study on the clinical value of telomerase activity in exfoliated cells of sputum from lung cancer patients].

BACKGROUND: To investigate the clinical value of the detection of telomerase activity in the sputum specimens of lung cancer. METHODS: The telomerase activity in sputum specimens was detected in 45 case of lung cancer and 25 cases of benign pulmonary diseases and 2 cases of metastatic carcinoma of the lung by PCR-ELISA assay. RESULTS: Twenty five sputum specimens from lung cancer patients were positive for telomerase activity, and the sensitivity was 55.6% (25/45); seven sputum specimens from benign pulmonary diseases were positive, and the sensitivity was 28.0% (7/25). Significant difference was existed between the two groups (Chi-Square=5.628, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Detection of telomerase activity in the sputum specimens may be helpful to differentiate malignant from benign pulmonary diseases.