肝癌及癌旁组织中端粒酶检测的临床意义

目的研究端粒酶作为原发性肝细胞癌（ＨＣＣ）肿瘤标志物的可能性。方法采用ＴＲＡＰ方法检测了３３例原发性肝细胞癌及其３３例癌旁组织、４例肝转移癌及其４例癌旁组织、６例肝良性肿瘤和６例正常肝组织中的端粒酶活性。结果３３例原发性肝细胞癌组织中，有３０例端粒酶表达阳性，其阳性率为９０．９％。３３例癌旁组织中，有９例端粒酶表达阳性，其阳性率为２７．３％。４例肝转移癌端粒酶活性均阳性，４例癌旁组织中，２例端粒酶表达阳性。６例肝良性肿瘤中，仅１例端粒酶表达阳性。６例正常肝组织端粒酶表达均阴性。肝癌组织端粒酶表达与肿瘤临床病理特征无关。结论肝癌组织中普遍存在端粒酶活性表达，而良性和正常肝组织中端粒酶活性较少表达。端粒酶有可能成为诊断原发性肝细胞癌的肿瘤标志物

Telomerase activity in liver cancer and the adjacent tissue

Objective To investigate the possibility of using telomerase as a tumor marker for human primary hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC). Methods Human liver specimens, comprising 33 HCC and adjacent peritumoral tissues, 4 hepatic metastases and the adjacent peritumoral tissues, 6 benign liver lesions and 6 normal liver tissues, were examined for telomerase activity by TRAP assay based on PCR. Results Thirty of 33 HCC and 9 of 33 adjacent tissue specimens were positive for telomerase activity with a positive rate of 90.9% and 27.3%, respectively. Four hepatic metastatic cancer and 2 adjacent tissues were positive. Telomerase activity was negative in 6 nomal liver tissues and 5 of 6 benign liver lesions. There was no correlation between the clinical stage of HCC and their telomerase activity. Conclusion Positive telomerase activity occurs in the majority of HCC examined. It can be used as a tumor marker in the diagnosis of HCC.