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TELOMERASE -
INTRACELLULAR LEVEL

OVERVIEW EXPLANATION

Every chromosome contains a protective “cap” at its end, called a telomere, which shields the cell from being damaged during cell division. Each time a cell divides, its telomere becomes progressively shorter, until eventually, the “cap” reaches its minimum size and the cell can no longer divide. Telomerase counteracts the natural shortening process by replacing the bits of telomere that are lost during each round of cell division.

High telomerase activity in the blood of cancer patients can be associated with further tumour development of the effective elimination of the tumour during and two to four weeks after, application of treatment. Low telomerase activity in the blood of cancer patients can be associated with encapsulation of the tumour such that it cannot spread throughout the body, cancer remission or an inability of Immune Cells to recognise and destroy Cancer Cells.

DETAILED EXPLANATION

Specific structures found at the ends of chromosomes in eukaryotes are known as telomeres. These telomeres protect chromosome ends because chromosomes lacking telomeres undergo fusion, rearrangement and translocation. In somatic cells the telomere length is progressively shortened with each division due to the inability of the DNA polymerase complex to replicate the 5’ end of the lagging strand.

Telomerase is a unique Enzyme, which is a ribonucleoprotein that Synthesises and directs the telomeric repeats on to the 3’ end of existing telomeres using its RNA component. Telomerase activity becomes suppressed through the ageing process but activation of telomerase is regarded as essential to most cancer. Telomerase activity has been shown to be specifically expressed in immortal cells, e.g. cancer and germ cells where it compensates for telomere shortening during its DNA replication and this stabilises telomere length. The expression of telomerase activity in Cancer Cells is a necessary step for tumour development and growth. This means that there is a specific association of human telomerase activity with cancer and it is usually high in cancer patients. It is considered that the regression of telomerase activity could be one of the mechanisms for cancer regression. This assay is able to provide information related to the very early oncogenic changes before the definitive formation of any tumour and clinical diagnosis. When the tumour is formed, this assay is able to assist in the prognosis of cancer regression or progression.

High telomerase activity in the blood of cancer patients can be associated with:-

a) A risk of further tumour development.

b) The destruction of the tumour during effective treatment and two to four weeks after such a treatment.

Low telomerase activity in the blood of cancer patients can be associated with:-

a) The tumour being in an encapsulated form.

b) Remission of cancer.

c) The inability to create tumour immuno-genicity, e.g. recognition of Cancer Cells by the Immune Cells, which are able to destroy a tumour with released.

To correlate the level of telomerase activity with one of these indicators, additional information is necessary. Please contact the laboratory for advice.





APPLICATION

This assay will provide extremely valuable and accurate information relating to all forms of cancer.
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