Abstract: Methods and compositions for the measurement of telomere length have application in medical diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic procedures. The methods for measuring telomere length include primer extension-based methods and probe-based methods. The primer extension methods involve elongation of telomeric, linker, and/or subtelomeric based primers under conditions such that the telomere serves as a template for primer extension and that the resultant primer extension products can be compared to standards of known length to provide a measure of telomere length. The probe based methods allow for telomere length measurements using DNA from lysed or whole cells and involve hybridizing an excess of probe to all telomeric repeat sequences in the telomere, measuring the amount of bound probe, and correlating the amount of bound probe measured with telomere length.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for treating cancer and other diseases in which inhibition of telomerase activity can ameliorate disease symptoms or prevent or treat the disease relate to compounds that are derivatives of pyrido?b!thiophenes, pyrido?b!furans, pyridine ethers or pyridine thioethers. Such compounds are characterized by the following structure: ##STR1## X.sub.3 is oxygen or sulfur; and the double dashed lines between X.sub.4 and X.sub.5 indicate an optional double bond, which, when present, forms a fused, bicyclic pyrido?b!furan or pyrido?b!thiophene ring system, depending upon whether X.sub.3 is oxygen or sulfur, respectively. When the double bond is not present, the compound is a monocyclic pyridine ether or thioether, again depending upon whether X.sub.3 is oxygen or sulfur. X.sub.4 is --CH.sub.2 R.sub.21 or --CR.sub.21 --, where R.sub.

Abstract: Methods are provided for the determination of telomere length. These methods can be used for diagnosis of cancer and the staging of cancer, and diagnosis of senecesence in cells. Also, the instant methods can be used to determine stages of diseases such as atherosclerosis or HIV infection, and can be used to diagnose infertility.