AUTHOR=Hayashi Yujiro , Fujita Kazutoshi , Netto George J. , Nonomura Norio 

TITLE=Clinical Application of TERT Promoter Mutations in Urothelial Carcinoma

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Oncology

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2021.705440

DOI=10.3389/fonc.2021.705440

ISSN=2234-943X

ABSTRACT=<p>Urothelial carcinoma (UC) is a common urological malignancy with a high rate of disease recurrence. Telomerase activity, a hallmark of cancer characterized by overcoming the replicative senescence, is upregulated in over 90% of patients with UC. Somatic mutations in the promoter region of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) are frequently detected in UC, and drive telomerase activity. Recent studies have demonstrated a strong association between <italic>TERT</italic> promoter mutation and tumorigenesis of UC. Also, <italic>TERT</italic> promoter mutation has great potential for diagnosis, as well as prognosis in UC treatment, and this is also applicable for the liquid biopsy techniques. In this review, we discuss the progress in these areas and highlight the challenges, clinical potential, and future direction for developing UC treatment methods.</p>