Objective  This study aimed to investigate the clinical significance of the human telomerase reverse transcriptase(h-TERT) and c-Met gene expressions in the peripheral blood of pancreatic cancer patients.

  Methods  Magnetic cell sorting and reverse transcription-nest-polymerase chain reaction were performed to detect h-TERT and c-Met expressions in the peripheral blood of pancreatic cancer and determine whether or not micrometastasis was present. The clinical significance of micrometastasis was analyzed.

  Results  The positive rates of c-Met and h-TERT did not significantly correlate with gender, age, cancer size, cancer antigen 19-9, and carcinoembryonic antigen in the serum(P > 0.05). The positive rates of c-Met and h-TERT genes in the peripheral blood of pancreatic cancer patients significantly correlated with TNM staging(P < 0.05). The recurrence rate was higher in pancreatic cancer patients with positive h-TERT compared with that in patients with positive c-Met. The median disease-free survival time for patients with positive h-TERT and c-Met was 12 and 9 months, respectively. The median disease-free survival time was 20 months(P=0.044) for patients with negative h-TERT. For pancreatic cancer patients with negative c-Met, the median disease-free survival time was 15 months(P < 0.001).

  Conclusion  The prognosis is poorer in h-TERT-positive patients than in c-Met-positive patients. The relapse rate was higher in h-TERT-positive patients who have poor prognosis.