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Telomerase activity in sex cord-stromal tumors of the ovary.

AbstractOBJECTIVE:
Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein that protects chromosomes from degradation and end-to-end fusions by maintaining telomere length. Studies have shown that telomerase is present in 95% of gynecologic malignancies and in 88% of epithelial ovarian carcinomas but undetectable in benign tissue. The aim of this investigation was to determine whether telomerase is present in sex cord-stromal tumors and whether telomerase activity is indicative of patient outcomes.
METHODS:
Forty-five consecutive sex cord-stromal ovarian tumors were analyzed by using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction for expression of human telomerase, human telomerase reverse transcriptase, and telomerase activity.
RESULTS:
Of the 29 patients with malignant cell types (granulosa cell, Sertoli-Leydig cell, and steroid cell tumors), 21 of the 28 patients (75%) available for follow-up had recurrence, with a mean follow-up of 86 months (95% CI, 36-157 months). The telomerase repeat amplification protocol assay had a sensitivity of 74% and specificity of 94% for malignancy. Patients with telomerase-positive tumors had a mean disease-free interval of 66.5 months; for those with telomerase-negative tumors the interval was 90 months. In addition, patients with telomerase-positive tumors were more likely to be dead from disease or alive with disease than those without telomerase activity, and they showed trends toward requiring a larger number of surgical procedures for the treatment of their disease. However, these trends were not statistically significant.
CONCLUSION:
Although activation of telomerase is clearly an important step in carcinogenesis, it is unlikely to be helpful in the clinical management of sex cord-stromal tumors of the ovary.
AuthorsS C Dowdy, D J O'Kane, G L Keeney, J Boyd, K C Podratz
JournalGynecologic oncology (Gynecol Oncol) Vol. 82 Issue 2 Pg. 257-60 (Aug 2001) ISSN: 0090-8258 [Print] United States
PMID11531276 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
CopyrightCopyright 2001 Academic Press.
Chemical References
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Telomerase
Topics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local (enzymology, pathology)
  • Ovarian Neoplasms (enzymology, pathology)
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Risk Factors
  • Sex Cord-Gonadal Stromal Tumors (enzymology, pathology)
  • Telomerase (metabolism)

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