AIM: To investigate the functional consequences of rs2736100 polymorphism in telomere length and examine its link to gastric cancer risk.METHODS: Telomere length and human telomerase reverse transcriptase(h TERT) m RNA expression were measured in 35 gastric cancer tissues and 5 cell lines and correlated to rs2736100 polymorphism. The relationship between rs2736100 polymorphism and the risk of gastric cancer were examined in 243 gastric cancer patients and 246 healthy individuals.RESULTS: The rs2736100 A allele carrier is closely associated with reduced h TERT m RNA expression and shortened telomere length in gastric cancer tissue and cell lines. When gastric cancers were stratified by histological subtype,telomere length and h TERT m RNA levels were significantly increased in those with the C/C genotype in intestinal-type gastric cancer,but not in diffuse-type gastric cancer. Interestingly,there was no significant difference in the genotype and allele frequencies of the rs2736100 polymorphism between the patients with gastric cancer and healthy controls.CONCLUSION: The rs2736100 polymorphism of the h TERT gene is involved in the regulation of h TERT expression and telomere length,but not in the risk of gastric cancer. AIM: To investigate the functional consequences of rs27361001 polymorphism in telomere length and examine its link to gastric cancer risk. METHODS: Telomere length and human telomerase reverse transcriptase (h TERT) m RNA expression were measured in 35 gastric cancer tissues and 5 cell lines and The relationship between rs2736100 polymorphism and the risk of gastric cancer were examined in 243 gastric cancer patients and 246 healthy individuals .RESULTS: The rs2736100 A allele carrier is closely associated with reduced h TERT m RNA expression and shortened telomere length in gastric cancer tissue and cell lines. When gastric cancers were stratified by histological subtype, telomere length and h TERT m RNA levels were significantly increased in those with the C / C genotype in intestinal-type gastric cancer, but not in diffuse-type gastric cancer Interestingly, there was no significant difference in the genotype and allele frequencies of the rs2736100 polym orphism between the patients with gastric cancer and healthy controls. CONCLUSION: The rs27361001 polymorphism of the h TERT gene is involved in the regulation of h TERT expression and telomere length, but not in the risk of gastric cancer.