[The diagnostic value of telomerase activity in bronchial biopsy specimen for lung cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the diagnostic value of telomerase activity for lung cancer. METHODS: Telomerase activity was measured by PCR-TRAP in cancerous lesions and contralateral bronchial tissues from patients with lung cancer and in the bronchial tissues from patients with noncancerous pulmonary disorders, in which the tissue specimens were obtained by fiberoptic bronchoscopy. The result of telomerase detection was compared with the positive rates of pathologic study and bronchial brush cytology. RESULTS: The positive rate of telomerase activity in lesions of lung cancer was significantly higher than that in tissues of the contralateral bronchi from patients of lung cancer (P < 0.01) and that in tissues from patients of noncancerous pulmonary disorders (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference between the positive rate of telomerase activity expression and the positive rates of pathology and bronchial brush cytology (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Examination of telomerase activity was of significance in the diagnosis of lung cancer.