Detection Of Telomerase Activity In Induced Sputum In The Diagnosis Of Lung Cancer

Objective: To explore the possibility of detecting telomerase activity in induced sputum and evaluate its value on the diagnosis of lung cancer and search for new adjuvant means for clinical diagnosis lung cancer. Methods:The induced sputa and spontaneous sputa from 30 lung cancer patients and 15 benign lung disease patients who were pathologically proven were detected for telomerase activity with TRAP-PCR-ELISA.The statistic was performed using chi-square test and t test. Results:The positive rates and the mean OD level of telomerase activity in induced sputa ,spontaneous sputa from lung cancer patients and spontaneous sputa from benign lung disease patients were respectively 80% versus 56.7% versus 13.3% and 0.523±0.267 versus 0.349±0.247 versus 0.091±0.110.The positive rate and OD level in induced sputa from patients with lung cancer was statistically significant higher than that of the two other control groups(P<0.01),and its sensitivity,specificity and accuracy was respectively 80%,86.7% and 82.2%;The positive rates and the mean OD level of telomerase activity in induced sputa from peripheral lung cancer and central lung cancer was respectively 70% versus 85%(P>0.05 )and 0.340±0.240 versus 0.558±0.285(P>0.05);The positive rates and the mean OD level of telomerase activity in induced sputa from SCLC and NSCLC lung cancer were respectively 90% versus 75% and 0.627±0.287 versus 0.471±0.248.No statistically significant difference between them was observed ;wherase the positive rates and the mean OD level of telomerase activity in induced sputa from stageⅠ-Ⅱand stage Ⅲ-Ⅳwere respectively 57.1% versus 86.9%(P>0.05) 0.274±0.193 versus 0.599±0.241(P<0.01). Conclusions:The detection of telomerase activity in induced sputum may be helpful to the diagnosis of lung cancer .It may also be used as a nontraumatic,comparatively convenient and sensitive means to monitor lung cancer prognosis and direct therapy.