Telomerase activity as a biomarker for (pre)neoplastic cervical disease in scrapings and frozen sections from patients with abnormal cervical smear.

Abstract

Telomerase activity is more frequent in higher grade CIN/cervical cancer lesions. Telomerase activity assessment in cervical scrapings has a low sensitivity for CIN II/III and/or cervical cancer and does not appear to be useful in primary screening for cervical cancer. However, increased telomerase activity in frozen CIN sections may be a possible marker of progressive disease.