title: Expression of galectin-3, nm-23, and cyclooxygenase-2 could potentially discriminate between benign and malignant pheochromocytoma.
abstract: Currently, the only reliable indicator of malignancy in pheochromocytoma is the presence of distant metastasis or extensive local invasion; predicting behavior of pheochromocytoma remains challenging. We aimed to correlate the behavior of pheochromocytoma with its expression of nm-23, cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, and galectin-3 (genes used to predict the course of some neoplastic diseases), evaluated immunohistochemically in 55 paraffin blocks of formalin-fixed pheochromocytoma specimens with confirmed behavior. In 3 (7%) of 44 benign and 7 (64%) of 11 malignant pheochromocytomas, there was negative nm-23 expression (P = .000). COX-2 immunoreactivity was positive in 10 (23%) of benign and 9 (82%) of malignant tumors (P = .000). Galectin-3 was expressed in 5 (11%) of benign and 9 (82%) of malignant pheochromocytomas (P = .000). Negative nm-23, along with positive COX-2 or galectin-3, predicted malignancy with 100% specificity. Dual negativity for galectin-3 and COX-2, along with nm-23 positivity, indicated benign behavior with 100% sensitivity. In early pheochromocytoma, evaluation of nm-23, galectin-3, and COX-2 expression could predict the outcome. Larger studies seem necessary to confirm the potential practical value of our findings.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Pathology, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Hiva
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saffar
authors.forename: Sanaz
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sanii
authors.forename: Ramin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Heshmat
authors.forename: Vahid
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Haghpanah
authors.forename: Bagher
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Larijani
authors.forename: Afsaneh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rajabiani
authors.forename: Sima
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Azimi
authors.forename: Seyed Mohammad
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Tavangar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D018450:Disease Progression; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054778:NM23 Nucleoside Diphosphate Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D037502:Galectin 3; D054778:NM23 Nucleoside Diphosphate Kinases; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human