title: The correlation between TTF-1 immunoreactivity and the occurrence of lymph node metastases in patients with lung cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Thyroid transcription factor (TTF-1) is a tissue-specific transcription factor expressed in the epithelial cells of thyroid and lung. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the expression of TTF-1 and clinico-pathological parameters in pulmonary adenocarcinoma and adenosquamous carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Resection material of pneumonectomies and lobectomies of 39 patients was retrospectively examined. Twenty-eight patients were diagnosed with adenocarcinoma and 11 with adenosquamous carcinoma. Tumors were classified into 3 groups: a strongly positive group (++) with double dagger 50% tumor cells positive for TTF-1; a weakly positive group (+) with 1-49% positive tumor cells; and a negative group (-) with less than 1% or no positive tumor cells. Analysis was performed with Kaplan-Meier estimates and log-rank tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Staining for TTF-1 was negative in 10 cases. There was focal staining in 9 cases, while there was diffuse staining in 20 (51%) cases out of 39, and 15 (75%) of these were adenocarcinomas. There was a statistically significant association between TTF-1 and lymph node metastases (P = 0.029). No relationship was found between TTF-1 positivity and disease-free and overall survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TTF-1 expression may be a predictor of lymph node metastases. Additional work in a larger group of patients is needed to better assess the utility of this marker.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey. semsialtaner@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Semsi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Altaner
authors.forename: Yener
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoruk
authors.forename: Fusun
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tokatli
authors.forename: Zafer
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Koçak
authors.forename: Birsen
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tosun
authors.forename: Servet
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guresci
authors.forename: Kemal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kutlu
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000074482:Thyroid Nuclear Factor 1; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: C000614412:NKX2-1 protein, human; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D000074482:Thyroid Nuclear Factor 1; D014157:Transcription Factors