VALUE OF TELOMERASE ACTIVITY IN THE EARLY DETECTION OI? MALIGNANT TRANSFORMATION OF THE BLADDER

Abstract

In this study nineteen patients with pathologically proven bladder cancer•, with median age was 55, male/female ratio 3.7/1, were included. The aim of the study was to evaluate the detection of the enzyme telornerase activity in exfoliated cells in urine ofthcsc p lienls, ;u1d using this ss y for eal'ly detection of m lignant lransformation of the Bladder.

The telomer•ase activity was studied by the TRAP assay (tciomeric repeat arnplil'ic;1tion protocol), which is a polymerase chain r•caction-based assay designated PCR- ELISA

The unne of the first ten patients was tested for the enzyme telomerase activity, and the enzyme activity could not be detected in any of the samples studied. From the other nine patients urine samples, bladder washings, and biopsies were taken and analyzed for telomer•ase activity. In the bladder washing samples telomcrase activity was positive in 20% of the patients ar1d in tile biopsies studied 90% of the

patients were positive.