Patent ID: 8222392

Claim:
A kit for detecting a nucleic acid that encodes human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTRT), or fragment thereof, in a sample, the kit comprising a pair of amplification primers, said pair comprising a first amplification primer at least 10 nucleotides in length that hybridizes specifically to a DNA having the sequence of SEQ. ID NO: 1 or the complement thereof at 5° C. to 25° C. below T m in aqueous solution at 1 M NaCl but under the same reaction conditions does not hybridize to a DNA having the sequence of SEQ. ID NO:8 or the complement thereof; and a second amplification primer at least 10 nucleotides in length that hybridizes specifically to a DNA having the sequence of SEQ. ID NO: 1 or the complement thereof at 5° C. to 25° C. below T m in aqueous solution at 1 M NaCl.