title: VEGFR1 expression is related to lymph node metastasis and serum VEGF may be a marker of progression in the follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and VEGF receptor 1 (VEGFR1) are known to be related to thyroid tumorigenesis. The aim of the study was to examine the expressions and serum levels of VEGF, VEGFR1, IGF1, and IGF1 receptor (IGF1R) in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) compared with patients with nodular goiter (NG).
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined 39 patients with DTC who had a clinical history of at least 2 years and compared them with 25 patients who had a pathological diagnosis of NG after thyroidectomy. Serum VEGF, VEGFR1, and IGF1 levels were measured in both patient groups. The expressions of VEGF, VEGFR1, IGF1, and IGF1R were analyzed by the immunohistochemical method in the paraffin blocks of patients' thyroidectomy samples of the patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The immunostainings scores for VEGF, VEGFR1, IGF1, and IGF1R were found to be higher in patients with DTC than in those with NG. Only VEGFR1 expression was related to lymph node metastasis at the time of surgery. None of the expressions were related to the long-term prognosis of the patients. Serum VEGF was found to be higher in patients with progressive DTC than in patients in clinical remission.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The expressions of VEGF and VEGFR1 were shown to be correlated with the expression of IGF1 and IGF1R. VEGFR1 expression may be an important index for the presence of lymph node metastasis at the time of thyroidectomy. Increased serum levels of VEGF may reflect disease recurrence in DTC.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Endocrinology Pathology Microbiology, Erciyes University Medical School, 38039 Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Karaca
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tanriverdi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Unluhizarci
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ozturk
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gokahmetoglu
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Elbuken
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cakir
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bayram
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kelestimur
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D018450:Disease Progression; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013965:Thyroidectomy; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1