TERT and brain cancer: As in almost all tumors, malignant brain tumors are associated to higher telomerase activity than benign tumors, such as neurinomas, meningiomas [38] or normal brain tissue.[39] Increased telomerase expression has been also associated with higher proliferative index, tumor grading, age, vascular and endothelial proliferation,[40] poor outcome.[41]–[43] In our investigation, both telomerase activity and h-TERT mRNA levels varied in astroglial brain tumors and both were significantly correlated with tumor grading.