title: Expression of NCAM and OCIAD1 in well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma: correlation with the risk of distant metastasis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The biomarkers representing the metastatic potential of well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma remain to be established. A study was undertaken to find whether the expression status of neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) and/or ovarian cancer immunoreactive antigen domain containing 1 (OCIAD1) is associated with the metastatic potential of differentiated thyroid carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  NCAM and OCIAD1 were analysed by immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 214 well-differentiated thyroid carcinomas, 68 patients had distant metastases. Immunohistochemical analyses showed that the majority of benign thyroid lesions expressed NCAM while a significant proportion of thyroid carcinomas lost or had reduced NCAM expression. Both follicular and papillary carcinomas with distant metastasis had a significantly higher frequency of preserving NCAM expression. Hierarchical clustering analysis showed that OCIAD1 had significant differential expression between benign and malignant thyroid lesions. The overall metastatic-to-localised tumour ratio was higher in NCAM-expressing clusters, but the difference between ratios of OCIAD1-positive and OCIAD1-negative subclusters was not significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These analyses suggest that the preservation of NCAM expression in well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma is an indicator for a higher risk of distant metastasis. OCIAD1 is a potential biomarker of thyroid carcinoma but had no significant additive effect on the risk of distant metastasis. Further elucidation of the molecular mechanisms underlying the NCAM-mediated cellular processes will be beneficial for the development of effective treatments against the metastasis of thyroid carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. ahyang@vghtpe.gov.tw
authors.forename: An-Hang
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jui-Yu
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chen-Hsen
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jun-Yi
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D018263:Adenocarcinoma, Follicular; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002277:Carcinoma; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000032:analysis*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D000077273:Thyroid Cancer, Papillary; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000556:secondary; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules; C529235:ovarian cancer immuno-reactive antigen domain containing 1, human