Change of telomerase activity in peripheral blood of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma pre and post curative treatment

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.

SRY-Related Transcription Factors in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas: In Silico Based Analysis

“…The role of SRY-related transcription factors and their non-codingrelated transcripts is not fully understood in the case of HNSCC. In spite of many different strategies for improving the diagnosis [22][23][24] and chemo- [25] and/or radiotherapy treatment of HNSCC patients, an improvement in patients' outcomes is still challenging [26][27][28]. Probably, treatment personalization based on a molecular transcription profile including both coding and non-coding genes could help in overcoming the high mortality rate.…”