Shorter telomere length of T-cells in peripheral blood of patients with lung cancer

PURPOSE: Telomere shortening occurs in tumor tissues and peripheral blood lymphocytes of many common human malignancies, including lung cancer, but its variation in T-cells has never been investigated. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess telomere length in T-cells and its correlation with the clinical characteristics of patients with lung cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 40 patients with lung cancer but without prior cancer history and 25 healthy individuals were selected. T-cells were isolated and their telomere lengths were measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction methods. RESULTS: Telomere length in T-cells was significantly shorter in patients with lung cancer than in controls (P<0.001). Shorter telomere length was significantly associated with increased clinical stage (P=0.008) and distant metastasis (P=0.028). Naïve T-cells from patients with lung cancer had significantly decreased telomere length when compared with those from controls (P=0.012). CONCLUSION: The shortened telomere length in T-cells occurred in naïve T-cells and might be related to lung cancer progression.