ABSTRACT
The mechanisms that allow for cellular immortalization in cultured cells are thought to represent the processes that arise during the progression of human cancer. The prevention, early detection and treatment of cancer are therefore issues of paramount importance in the health management of postmenopausal women. In the continuing endeavor to develop novel therapies for the treatment of all human cancers, it is imperative to understand the most prevalent mechanisms involved in the evolution of healthy normal cells to a diseased neoplastic state. One defining hallmark of cancer cells is the ability to proliferate in an unlimited manner, in contrast to the restricted manner in which normal cells replicate. The positive correlation between human tumors and telomerase activation has generated much interest in using telomerase activity as a diagnostic marker for cancer detection. Research in the and areas will hopefully aid in the multi-faceted approach that is undoubtedly required for the prevention and treatment of cancer.
