Telomerase expression as a marker for minimal residual disease detection in patients undergoing second-look laparotomy for ovarian cancer: A follow-up study

We hypothesized that telomerase positivity in abdominal washings from patients undergoing a second-look procedure is a predictor of disease recurrence.; Follow-up data was obtained from 68 patients in whom the presence or absence of telomerase activity was examined in abdominal washings at the time of their second-look procedures. There was no association between telomerase expression and time to recurrence or time to death among the cases with negative second-look findings. Telomerase expression among patients with positive second-look was not statistically different when comparing time to death. No association can be made when comparing time to death and telomerase expression among all patients.; We conclude that telomerase may not be an accurate predictor of residual disease and survival among patients with ovarian cancer who are clinically free of disease after initial surgery and first-line chemotherapy.