Abstract:

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of telomerase activity on clinical characteristics and survival of patients with neuroblastoma. Materials and Methods: This study was carried out by examining telomerase activity in previously taken pathology preparations of 87 patients who were diagnosed with neuroblastoma between 2011 and 2019 in the Pediatric Oncology Department of Çukurova University Faculty of Medicine. Results: Totally 87 patients, 46 males (52.9%) and 41 females (47.1%), were included in our study. Median age at the time of diagnosis was 3.0 (0.08-15) years. Twenty-three (26.4%) patients included in the study had telomerase activity, 64 (73.6%) had no telomerase activity. Overall survival (OS) of patients with telomerase activity up to 8 years were 84%, while event-free survival (EFS) was 56%. Patients without telomerase activity had a 93% OS for up to 8 years, while EFS was 70%. There was no significant relationship between patients with or without telomerase activity in terms of sex, age, stage, risk group, relapse, myc- n amplification, OS and EFS. Conclusions: In this study, no significant difference was found between telomerase activity and clinical features and survival of neuroblastoma patients. Prospective studies involving larger numbers of patients will more clearly demonstrate the impact of telomerase activity on the prognosis of patients with neuroblastoma.

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