RET oncogene expression of papillary thyroid carcinoma in Korea.
OBJECTIVE
To identify the prevalence of RET/PTC oncogene expression in Korea, and to investigate the correlation between RET/PTC oncogene expression and the known prognostic factors of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) in 22 patients.


METHODS
We performed reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for RET/PTC1, RET/PTC2, and RET/PTC3 rearrangements and immunohistochemical staining for the RET gene. Patient information was obtained from medical records. The chi(2) test, independent sample t-test, and logistic regression were used for statistical analysis.


RESULTS
The mean age of the patients was 44.4 years. RET/PTC rearrangement by RT-PCR was positive in only 2 (9.1%) of the 22 patients, and RET/PTC1 and RET/PTC3 were positive in 1 patient each (4.5%). Immunohistochemical staining revealed positive RET oncogene expression in 8 patients (36.3%). RET oncogene expression was marginally related to recurrence ( P = 0.05), but without significance by multivariate analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
It is possible that a rare form of rearrangement exists in Korean papillary thyroid carcinoma, but this study failed to prove that RET oncogene expression is associated with alleged prognostic factors.
Chung
Ki-Wook
KW
Department of Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 28 Yongon-dong, Chongno-gu, Seoul 110-744, South Korea.
Chang
Myung Chul
MC
Noh
Dong-Young
DY
Oh
Seung Keun
SK
Choe
Kuk Jin
KJ
Youn
Yeo-Kyu
YK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007723:Korea; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008934:Mitogens; D015513:Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology
D008934:Mitogens; D015513:Oncogene Proteins; D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret; C099282:RET protein, human; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases