title: EpCAM overexpression in thyroid carcinomas: a histopathological study of 121 cases.
abstract: Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) is expressed by a broad variety of carcinoma cells. It is recognized by the monoclonal antibody 17-1A, which has already been applied for immunotherapy of several carcinoma types in preclinical and small clinical studies. In the present study the immunohistochemical properties of 17-1A were evaluated in 121 cases of thyroid carcinomas of follicular cell origin, comprising of 75 differentiated (DTC; 35 papillary and 40 follicular carcinomas), 24 poorly differentiated (PDTC) and 22 anaplastic thyroid carcinomas. Overexpression of EpCAM, as recently defined, was found with a distinct membranous staining pattern in 81.3% of DTCs and in 66.6% of PDTCs. In contrast, all anaplastic thyroid carcinomas (0%) completely lacked EpCAM expression. Normal thyroid tissue presented with weak and heterogeneous EpCAM staining. This study demonstrates EpCAM overexpression as a common finding in DTCs and PDTCs, and thus these tumors as possible novel targets for EpCAM-directed immunotherapy. Our findings suggest that patients with recurrent or advanced tumor disease and metastatic spread could benefit from this modern therapeutic regime, especially after insufficient radioiodine therapy.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Muellerstreet 44, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria. christian.ensinger@uibk.ac.at
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ensinger
authors.forename: Roswitha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kremser
authors.forename: Rupert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Prommegger
authors.forename: Gilbert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Spizzo
authors.forename: Kurt W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Schmid
mesh_terms: D018263:Adenocarcinoma, Follicular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000071858:Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; C499379:EPCAM protein, human; D000071858:Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule