ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the diagnostic significance of cytology and telomerase activity in the exfoliated cells of cardia obtained from endoscopic brushing in the cardiac cancer.Methods The technique of the qualitative TRAP siver staining and quantitative TRAP PCR ELISA were employed to detect telomerase activity in the exfoliated cells of cardiac obtained from endoscopic brushing in 72 cases with cardial lesions,cytological diagnosis was made at the same time.Results Telomerase activity with cardiac cancer group(1^521?0^192)was significantly higher than that with cardialitis group(0^065?0^014).Positive rate of telomerase activity detected in cardiac cancer group(88^89%)was significantly higher than that with cardialitis group(11^11%).Positive rate of telomerase activity detected in cardiac cancer group(88^89%)was significantly higer than cytological examination(77^78%).The diagnostic rate of cardiac cancer was improved to 93^33% if telomerase activity and cytology were examined at the same time.Conclusion Results show that the combination of cytology and telomerase activity in the exfoliated cardiac cells may be an effective and sensitive method in the diagnosis of cardiac cancer.This research can be a basis for the mass screening of cardiac cancer.