title: Differential expression of galectin-3 in medullary thyroid carcinoma and C-cell hyperplasia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Galectin-3 is a beta-galactoside-binding protein that plays a role in cell adhesion and tumour progression. It was shown recently to diagnose malignant follicular thyroid lesions accurately. The reliability of this marker in the differential diagnosis between medullary thyroid carcinoma and C-cell hyperplasia was studied by immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tissue specimens were obtained from 34 patients belonging to families with medullary thyroid carcinoma who underwent prophylactic thyroidectomy for RET gene mutation and/or abnormally increased plasma calcitonin levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Galectin-3 was expressed in 23 of 25 cases of medullary thyroid carcinoma and in none of the nine cases of C-cell hyperplasia only, giving a sensitivity of 92% and a specificity of 100% for the diagnosis of carcinoma. A significant association was found between higher galectin-3 expression and occurrence of lymph node metastases (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Galectin-3 is a reliable diagnostic marker of medullary thyroid carcinoma, and its use may provide relevant information for prognosis and therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique LRC29V, Institut Gustave Roussy, F-94805 Villejuif Cedex, France. afaggiano@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Antongiulio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Faggiano
authors.forename: Monique
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Talbot
authors.forename: Ludovic
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lacroix
authors.forename: Jean Michel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bidart
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Baudin
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schlumberger
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Caillou
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000032:analysis; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D018276:Carcinoma, Medullary / Q000737:chemistry / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000175:diagnosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000473:pathology; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D037502:Galectin 3; D002116:Calcitonin