New Insights in Telomerase and Telomeric Proteins and Their Clinical Application to Urological Cancers

This manuscript reviews the main applications of telomerase detection in urological malignancies, either through the direct measurement of the activity of the enzyme or, indirectly, with the assay of its catalytic subunit hTERT mRNA. The detectability of both these parameters in urine sediment appears an appealing tool in the diagnosis and follow up of urological tumors, especially of bladder carcinoma. The feasibility of anticancer therapy based on telomerase inhibition is also briefly discussed.