Detection of Telomerase Expression in Mediastinal Lymph Nodes of Patients with Lung Cancer

• DOI: 10.1164/rccm.200211-1297oc
• Publication Date: 2003-02-25T01:29:49Z
• Authors: Michael B. Wallace; Mark Block; Brenda J. Hoffman; Robert H. Hawes; Gerard Silvestri; Carolyn E. Reed; Michael Mitas; James Ravenel; Mostafa Fraig; Scott Miller; Edward T. Jones; Alice Boylan
• Keywords: Mediastinal lymph node

Mediastinal lymph nodes are the most common site of tumor spread in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We hypothesized that micrometastatic disease could be detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for expression human telomerase transcriptase (hTERT) mediastinal and a minimally invasive technique (endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration [EUS-FNA]) is capable sampling PCR analysis without surgery. were sampled with EUS-FNA patients NSCLC negative control subjects undergoing EUS benign disease. Total RNA was harvested from samples, RT-PCR performed to detect gene expression. available 87 100 node aspirates 39 12 patients. hTERT expressed 0 14 18 57 pathologically 10 16 positive (p < 0.05). Five (28%) no evident at least one node. Minimally detecting specific mRNA nodes. Approximately one-third express mRNA. The clinical significance this observation yet determined.