HBME-1 expression in follicular tumor of the thyroid: an investigation of whether it can be used as a marker to diagnose follicular carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
HBME-1 has been recognized as a useful marker for diagnosing thyroid carcinoma. In this study, we investigated whether it has a diagnostic value for discriminating follicular carcinoma from adenoma.


METHODS
We investigated HBME-1 expression in 138 follicular carcinomas, 155 follicular adenomas, 98 adenomatous nodules and 37 papillary carcinomas, using anti-HBME-1 monoclonal antibody.


RESULTS
HBME-1 was positive in 60.9% of follicular carcinoma and the incidence was significantly higher (p<0.0001) than that of follicular adenoma, 30.3%. In adenomatous nodules, only 17.3% were classified as positive, which was lower even than that of follicular adenoma (p=0.0257). All papillary carcinomas examined were positive for HBME-1. We calculated the positive predictive value of HBME-1 in discriminating follicular carcinoma from adenoma as 64.2%.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that, although HBME-1 contributes to the diagnosis of papillary carcinoma, it could not be applied in the preoperative diagnosis of follicular carcinoma, for example, using fine-needle aspiration biopsy samples.
Ito
Yasuhiro
Y
Department of Surgery, Kuma Hospital, Shimoyamate-dori, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0011, Japan. ito01@kuma-h.or.jp
Yoshida
Hiroshi
H
Tomoda
Chisato
C
Miya
Akihiro
A
Kobayashi
Kaoru
K
Matsuzuka
Fumio
F
Kakudo
Kennichi
K
Kuma
Kanji
K
Miyauchi
Akira
A
D018263:Adenocarcinoma, Follicular / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D000236:Adenoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C432845:HBME-1 antigen; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm