[Telomerase activity in cervical cancer and its precursor lesion].

OBJECTIVE: To study telomerase activity in cervical cancer and it's precursor lesion. METHODS: Thirty-six cervical cancer and 16 cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) specimens were measured for telomerase activity using TRAP-ELISA, and 11 normal cervix, 6 chronic cervicitis and 8 adjacent normal tissue specimens as controls. RESULTS: Mean telomerase activity in CIN, cervical cancer, and controls were 0.398 +/- 0.293, 1.580 +/- 0.819, 0.050 +/- 0.012. There was statistically significant difference among three groups (P < 0.01). Additionally, between patients with lymph node metastases (N+) and patients with tumor-free lymph nodes metastases (N-) a statistically distinct difference in telomerase activity was detected (P < 0.05). Telomerase activity was increasing with the advancing of histologic differentiated grade in invasive cervical cancer. However, no significant relationship was found between telomerase activity and tumor size, clinical stage, histology. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that the reactivation of telomerase is an early event and may play an important role during cervical carcinogenesis and progression. It may be used as a tumor biomarker, helpful for the diagnosis of cervical cancer and CIN.