Article Text

Download PDFPDF
Telomerase activity in the vaginal margins of radical hysterectomy in patients with carcinoma of the cervix: correlation with histology and human papillomavirus
  1. S. A. Triginelli*,
  2. A. L. Silva-Filho*,
  3. P. Traiman,
  4. F. M.U. Silva,
  5. M. C.G. Chaves-Dias§,
  6. G. C. Oliveira and
  7. J. R. Cunha-Melo
  1. * Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of UNESP, Botucatu, Sao Paulo, Brazil
  3. Department of Surgery, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
  4. § Department of Animal Biology, Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
  5. René Rachou Institute for Research, FIOCRUZ-Rene Rachou, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
  1. Address correspondence and reprint requests to: José R. Cunha-Melo, MD, PhD, Full Professor of Surgery, Departamento de Cirurgia—Faculdade de Medicina UFMG, Av. Alfredo Balena 190, 30130-100 Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Email: jrcmelo{at}medicina.ufmg.br

Abstract

This study was undertaken to evaluate the telomerase activity both in the tumor and in the vaginal margins of radical hysterectomy in patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the cervix. Thirty-three patients with SCC of the cervix (study group) and 13 patients with uterine myoma (control group) were prospectively studied. Tissue samples were taken from the tumor or cervix, anterior vaginal margin (AVM), and posterior vaginal margin (PVM). The specimens were analyzed by histopathology, by a telomerase PCR-TRAP-ELISA kit, and by polymerase chain reaction using human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA. The telomerase activity was significantly higher in the tumor than in the benign cervix (P < 0.001). There was no difference in telomerase activity in the AVM and PVM in patients with cervical carcinoma compared to the control group. Telomerase activity was associated with the presence of histologic malignancy in the PVM of patients submitted to radical hysterectomy (P = 0.03). This association was not observed with the presence of HPV in AVM or PVM in the study group. Telomerase activity is a marker of histologic malignancy in patients with SCC of the cervix. There was no association between the telomerase activity and the presence of HPV in vaginal margins of patients submitted to radical hysterectomy.

  • carcinoma
  • cervix
  • HPV
  • human papillomavirus
  • telomerase

Statistics from Altmetric.com

Request Permissions

If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.