Patent ID: 8778906

Claim:
A method of treating an individual suffering from a cancer, said method comprising: determining that a sample comprising cancer cells from the individual are telomerase negative and show alternative lengthening of telomeres mediated by a reverse transcriptase encoded by L-1 (LINE-1) retrotransposon, and administering to the individual in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a composition comprising an inhibitor or antagonist of the reverse transcriptase, wherein the inhibitor or antagonist blocks said lengthening of telomeres, wherein said cells show telomere shortening, G2 arrest and apoptosis, and wherein the inhibitor or antagonist is a nucleoside analog that is at least one selected from the group consisting of: 3′-azido-2′,3′-dideoxythymidine (AZT), 2′,3′-dideoxyinosine (ddI) and 2′,3′-didehydro-3′-deoxythymidine (d4T).