Telomerase as a Prognostic for Breast Cancer

The objective of this proposal is to develop and market sensitive and highly specific assays for thcancers based on the expression of the immortalizing enzyme telomerase. Using a proprietary PCR-basetelomerase activity designated TRAP (Telomeric Repeat Amplification Protocol) immortal cells can bespecimens. Furthermore, because cell immortality is an inherent feature of the malignant phenotype,telomerase expression will serve as a prognostic indicator. Having demonstrated the utility of the Tlines, a quantitative version of the assay will be developed. In addition, we will use the recentlyhuman telomerase as a molecular probe for the development of an in situ RT-PCR assay that will allowtelomerase positive cells in pathologic sections. These assays will be evaluated in a pilot trial intelomerase expression with other prognostic indicators and will determine whether telomerase expresspredict clinical outcome. Success of these studies would support the hypothesis that telomerase is bprognostic factor in breast cancer; an observation that is likely to be true in other cancers.