Open AccessLength of Telomeric Repeats in Neuroblastoma: Correlation with Prognosis and Other Biological Characteristics
Author(s) -
Hiyama Eiso,
Hiyama Keiko,
Yokoyama Takashi,
Ichikawa Toru,
Matsuura Yuichiro
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
japanese journal of cancer research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.035
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1349-7006
pISSN - 0910-5050
DOI - 10.1111/j.1349-7006.1992.tb00081.x
Subject(s) - telomere , neuroblastoma , biology , peripheral blood mononuclear cell , pathology , cancer research , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , medicine , dna , cell culture , in vitro
Telomeres are the physical ends of eukaryotic chromosomes. In view of reports of the reduction of telomeric repeats in human malignant tumors, we measured the lengths of telomeric repeats in 55 primary neuroblastomas. The average lengths of telomeric repeats in these tumors fell in a wide range (from 1.1 kb to more than 23 kb) relative to those in ganglioneuromas and normal peripheral mononuclear cells. The reduction of telomeric repeats was significantly correlated with advanced stages of tumor development, poor prognosis, and increased S‐phase fractions in tumor cells. On the other hand, three cases of Stage IV‐S tumors showed the reduction of telomeric repeats and low percentage of S‐phase fractions. These Stage IV‐S patients had a good prognosis with spontaneous regression of metastatic tumors.