ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: It was reported that the activation of telomerase can turn normal cell into tumor cell. This study was designed to investigate the expression of telomerase in breast tumor and its value for early diagnosis and treatment. METHODS: Telomerase expression in 178 breast tumor specimens was detected by using PCR-ELISA immunohistochemical method. RESULTS: Positive expression rate of telomerase in primary breast carcinoma, precancerous lesion of breast, breast fiber tumor were 86.72% (111/128), 46.67% (7/15), and 26.66% (4/15), respectively. Negative expression of telomerase was shown in normal breast tissue and cystic hyperplasia tissue. Positive expression rate of telomerase in different clinical stage were 63.16% in stage I, 85.96% in stage II, 95.65% in stage III, 100% in stage IV, respectively. Positive expression rate of telomerase in the patients with and without positive axillary lymph node were 95.83% (69/72) and 75(42/56), respectively. CONCLUSION: Expression of telomerase was closely associated with clinical stages of breast cancer (P < 0.005) and metastases of axillary lymph node (P < 0.01). Special importance is that its expression was found in breast precancerous lesion, indicating its is significance in early diagnosis of breast cancer.
