Abstract
BACKGROUND: There is no clinically applicable tumor marker for head and neck cancers. Telomerase is detected in approximately 90% of all malignant tumors, it may predict poor or favorable outcomes, thus being both a highly attractive biomarker and a target for the development of molecular-based cancer diagnostics, prognostics, and therapeutics. AIM: Primary aim was to detect a change of telomerase activity before and after curative treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with biopsy proven head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, stage I-IVB treated with a curative intent, performance status 0-2 and malignancy at one primary site were included in the study. Telomerase levels were tested in tissue biopsy. Plasma telomerase levels were tested at baseline, 5 days and at 3 months after treatment using ELISA. RESULTS: Raised plasma telomerase activity was seen in all the patients with cancer at baseline. The mean plasma telomerase level at baseline was 861.4522 ng/ml, at 5 days after completion of curative treatment was 928.92 ng/ml and at 3 months of follow up was 898.87 ng/ml. The mean tissue biopsy telomerase level was 19768.53 ng/mg. There was a significant increase in baseline telomerase levels in cancer patients compared to normals (volunteers) (t = -3.52, p = 0.001).There was a significant increase in plasma levels of telomerase at 3 months compared to baseline values (z = -1.98, p = 0.04). The increase in telomerase level did not correlate with the response of the treatment. CONCLUSION: In patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinomas treated with a curative intent, the change in levels of telomerase correlates neither with the disease status nor with prognostic factors.