TERT and cancer: However, in the WDTC with lymphocytic infiltration, the adjacent thyroid had a significant increase expression of TERT mRNA (unpaired t-test p = 0.0457) when compared with the respective primary tumour and when compared with the adjacent thyroid of malignant tumours without lymphocytic infiltration; (One-way ANOVA p = 0.0173; Figure 3b).