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Telomeres and Telomerase in Cancer pp 171–180Cite as

Role of Telomeres and Telomerase in Cancer

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Part of the book series: Cancer Drug Discovery and Development ((CDD&D))

Abstract

Cancer cells are distinguished from normal cells by two major characteristics: lack of regulation and limitation in their proliferation. The former is essential and represented as “transformed” with anchorage independency and invasive capabilities, while the latter is not a prerequisite but highly associated and represented as “immortal” concomitant with activation of telomerase. Telomerase is activated in around 80% of human cancers but not in usual somatic cells, and it is responsible for the indefinite proliferation capacity of cancer cells. Therefore, it is natural for physicians to expect telomerase to be useful as a diagnostic and therapeutic target in human cancers. In this chapter, we will overview the characteristics of telomeres and telomerase in human cancers.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Translational Cancer Research, Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan

    Keiko Hiyama & Keiji Tanimoto

  2. Natural Science Center for Basic Research and Development, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan

    Eiso Hiyama

  3. Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, Saitama, Japan

    Masahiko Nishiyama

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  1. Keiko Hiyama
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  2. Eiso Hiyama
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  3. Keiji Tanimoto
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  4. Masahiko Nishiyama
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Translational Cancer Research, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Hiroshima, Minami-Ku, 734-8551, Japan

    Keiko Hiyama

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Hiyama, K., Hiyama, E., Tanimoto, K., Nishiyama, M. (2009). Role of Telomeres and Telomerase in Cancer. In: Hiyama, K. (eds) Telomeres and Telomerase in Cancer. Cancer Drug Discovery and Development. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60327-879-9_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60327-879-9_7

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-60327-306-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-60327-879-9

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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