Usefulness of HBME-1, cytokeratin 19 and galectin-3 immunostaining in the diagnosis of thyroid malignancy.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the usefulness of immunohistochemical expression and immunolocalization of a panel of thyroid malignancy markers including HBME-1, cytokeratin (CK) 19 and galectin-3.


RESULTS
We evaluated 170 thyroid lesions including 148 neoplastic lesions [84 papillary carcinomas (PC), 38 follicular carcinomas (FC), 18 follicular adenomas, one hyalinizing trabecular tumour, five medullary carcinomas, two anaplastic carcinomas] and 22 non-neoplastic lesions (12 adenomatous nodules and 10 Hashimoto's thyroiditis). HBME-1, galectin-3 and CK 19 were expressed in 94%, 72.6%, 72.6% of PCs and in 63%, 21%, 21% of FCs. The three markers were mostly negative in all normal tissues. Although the most helpful marker in terms of sensitivity and specificity for the follicular variant of PC and for FC diagnosis was HBME-1, when we consider the differentiation between cases of follicular variant of papillary carcinoma (FVPC) and FC or adenoma, in terms of percentage of positive cells, galectin-3 and CK 19 were more relevant.


CONCLUSIONS
HBME-1 is the most sensitive marker for thyroid malignancy but the three markers may be useful in specific cases. This panel of markers is useful to differentiate the follicular patterned lesions, with special reference to the FVPC.
de Matos
P S
PS
Department of Pathology, Division of Endocrinology, School of Medicine (FCM), State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Sao Paulo, Brazil. pasmatos@fcm.unicamp.br
Ferreira
A P
AP
de Oliveira Facuri
F
F
Assumpção
L V M
LV
Metze
K
K
Ward
L S
LS
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007633:Keratins / Q000378:metabolism*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D037502:Galectin 3; D007633:Keratins; C432845:HBME-1 antigen; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm