Trefoil factor 3 (TFF3): a promising indicator for diagnosing thyroid follicular carcinoma.
Since the introduction of fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) in the 1970's, a preoperative diagnostic technique for thyroid follicular carcinoma has long been awaited. Many markers that distinguish follicular carcinomas from adenomas have been reported; however, most of them have not been confirmed to be beneficial for clinical use. Trefoil factor 3 (TFF3) is a relatively new family of peptides that bears the three-loop trefoil domain. Several groups have reported that the suppression of TFF3 mRNA expression is related to malignant characteristics of thyroid follicular cell-derived tumors and the expression level of TFF3 mRNA is the most promising indicator for diagnosing follicular carcinoma. Development of TFF3-based diagnostic methods is now ongoing and it may not be long before thyroid follicular carcinoma can be diagnosed preoperatively using an aspirated sample from the tumor.
Takano
Toru
T
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan.
Yamada
Hiroya
H
D018263:Adenocarcinoma, Follicular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D000236:Adenoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D010455:Peptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011379:Prognosis; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D000071165:Trefoil Factor-3
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D010455:Peptides; C082495:TFF3 protein, human; D000071165:Trefoil Factor-3