Source: Annual Congress 2011 - The new clinical spectrum of lung diseases: from bronchi to pleura
Disease area: Thoracic oncology

Abstract

Background: Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer, patients survival has just improved in those with early stages. Telomerase is a tumor marker that has been focused recently as a novel tool for early diagnosis of lung cancer.
Objective: To compare telomerase activity in malignant and benign pleural effusions in Rasoul-e-Akram Hospital of Tehran.
Methods & Materials: Telomerase activity in 28 consecutive pleural effusions (19 malignant and 9 benign; histopathologic diagnosis) assessed with telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) between Apr. 2006 and Sep. 2007. Data analysis was performed by chi-squared test and t-test; results expressed as frequency, percent, and mean +- SD.
Result: 20 cases (71.4%) from the total of 28 pleural effusions were positive for telomerase activity. Telomerase activity was positive in all 19 malignant effusions, while only one effusions from benign conditions (TB) had telomerase activity (P<0.0001). Sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of telomerase activity for detecting malignant pleural effusions were 100%, 88.9% and 96.4% respectively. Mean telomerase relative activity in malignant and benign effusions was not significantly different (24.3 +- 5.2% vs. 15.05%; P>0.05).
Conclusion: Telomerase activity is a highly sensitive and specific diagnostic biomarker for malignancy and may be used as an adjunct to other diagnostic tools such as cytological findings for malignant pleural effusions.

Rating:

Share or cite this content

Citations should be made in the following way:
R. Bahari (Tehran, Islamic Republic Of Iran). Comparison of telomerase activity in malignant and benign pleural effusions. Eur Respir J 2011; 38: Suppl. 55, 497

Member's Comments

No comment yet.

Related content which might interest you: Diagnostic implications of telomerase activity in pleural effusions Source: Eur Respir J 2003; 22: 422-426 Year: 2003 Correlation between pleural fluid cytological yield and pleural tumour burden in malignant pleural effusions Source: Annual Congress 2010 - 100 years of thoracoscopy: still room for improvement? Year: 2010 Malignant pleural effusion cells show aberrant glucose metabolism gene expression Source: Eur Respir J 2011; 37: 1453-1465 Year: 2011 Videothoracoscopy in the treatment of malignant pleural effusions Source: Annual Congress 2009 - Pleural and mediastinal diseases Year: 2009 Usfulness of cholesterol in difering malignant and nonmalignant pleural effusions Source: Eur Respir J 2004; 24: Suppl. 48, 246s Year: 2004 Management of malignant pleural effusions Source: Eur Respir J 2001; 18: 402-419 Year: 2001 Management of malignant pleural effusions Source: Guideline 2001 Year: 2001 Management of malignant pleural effusions Source: ERS Skills course: Multi-disciplinary care in thoracic oncology Year: 2019 Diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma Source: Eur Respir J 2004; 24: Suppl. 48, 527s Year: 2004 The value of IL6 in differentiation between malignant and non malignant pleural effusion Source: Annual Congress 2009 - Diagnosis of pleural effusions and rare tumours experience Year: 2009 Transudative malignant pleural effusions Source: International Congress 2019 – Novel approaches to pleural effusion: should I change my practice? Year: 2019 The radiologic evidance in distinguishing the pleural mesothelioma from the pleural metastatic adenocarcinoma Source: Eur Respir J 2006; 28: Suppl. 50, 93s Year: 2006 Clinical role of pleural effusion MMP-3 levels in malignant pleural mesothelioma Source: Annual Congress 2012 - Biology and treatment of malignant pleural effusions Year: 2012 Management of malignant pleural mesothelioma Source: ERS Course 2016 - Skills course on medical thoracoscopy Year: 2016 Management of malignant pleural mesothelioma Source: ERS Skills Course 2015 Year: 2015 Management of malignant pleural mesothelioma Source: Hands-on Course 2012 - Medical Thoracoscopy Year: 2012 Management of malignant pleural mesothelioma Source: School Course 2014 - Medical Thoracoscopy Year: 2014