Abstract C22: Telomere length variation and frequency of short telomeres in blood lymphocytes: Novel biomarkers for lung cancer risk

Abstract Background: Although it is widely recognized that telomere dysfunction plays an important role in cancer, the relationship between telomere function in somatic cells and lung cancer risk is not well defined. In a case-control study of non-small cell lung cancer, we examined relationship between several key telomere features and lung cancer risk. Method: Telomere fluorescent in situ hybridization was used to measure telomere features using short-term cultured blood lymphocytes. Logistic regression was used to estimate the strength of association between telomere features and lung cancer risk. Results: Telomere length variation across all chromosomal ends was significantly associated with lung cancer risk, with adjusted odds ratios of 4.67 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.46 – 14.9] and 0.46 (95% CI = 0.25 – 0.84) for young (age < 60) and old (age > 60) individuals, respectively. Similar strength and direction of associations between percentage of short telomeres and lung cancer risk were also observed. Telomere length variation and average telomere length jointly affect lung cancer risk. When comparing individuals with short telomere and high telomere length variation to those with long telomere and low telomere length variation, adjusted odd ratios were 8.21 (95% CI = 1.71 – 39.5) and 0.33 (95% CI = 0.15 – 0.72) for young and old individuals, respectively. Conclusion: Telomere length variation and percentage of short telomeres in blood lymphocytes are significantly associated with lung cancer risk and the associations are modulated by age. Telomere length variation in combination with average telomere length may be a promising tool for lung cancer risk assessment. Citation Format: Bing Sun, Ying Wang, Krishna Kota, Yaru Shi, Salaam Motlek, Kepher Makambi, Christopher A. Loffredo, Peter G. Shields, Qin Yang, Curtis C. Harris, Yun-Ling Zheng. Telomere length variation and frequency of short telomeres in blood lymphocytes: Novel biomarkers for lung cancer risk. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research; 2013 Oct 27-30; National Harbor, MD. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Can Prev Res 2013;6(11 Suppl): Abstract nr C22.