Correlation of clinicopathological features and expression of molecular markers with prognosis after ¹³¹I treatment of differentiated thyroid carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to identify molecular markers associated with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) patients and to determine whether there was a correlation between clinicopathological features or molecular markers and the outcome of radioiodine therapy.


METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed the records of 68 patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and 6 patients with follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC), who underwent iodine treatment. All patients were divided into a cured group (no evidence for disease) and a noncured group (presence of residual or recurrent disease). Immunohistochemical analysis of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER)-2 (C-erbB-2), ephrin receptor (EphA-2), and sodium-iodide symporter (NIS) was performed in all DTC specimens (68 PTCs, 6 FTCs) and in 14 follicular adenoma specimens.


RESULTS
Male patients and patients with lymph node and distant metastases had poorer prognosis. Overexpression of ER, PR, HER-2, EphA-2, and NIS was observed in 50.0% (37), 73.0% (54), 52.7% (39), 67.5% (50), and 70.3% (52) of DTC patients, respectively, and was significantly higher than in follicular adenoma patients (0%, 7.14%, 14.29%, 35.7%, and 35.7%, respectively). However, in patients with DTC, no significant difference in the expression of any marker was seen between the cured group and noncured group.


CONCLUSIONS
Male gender, and lymph node and distant metastases were found to be poor prognostic factors for patients with DTC. Higher expressions of ER, PR, HER-2, EphA-2, and NIS were associated with DTC, but were not correlated with the effectiveness of radioiodine treatment.
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
Chunxia
C
Qin
Wei
W
Cau
Yongxue
Y
Zhang
Fabian Pius
FP
Mghanga
Xiaoli
X
Lan
Zairong
Z
Gao
Rui
R
An
D018263:Adenocarcinoma, Follicular; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual; D011379:Prognosis; D036104:Receptor, EphA2 / Q000032:analysis; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D027981:Symporters / Q000032:analysis; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D013965:Thyroidectomy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000099209:Sodium-Iodide Symporters
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D036104:Receptor, EphA2; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D027981:Symporters; D000099209:Sodium-Iodide Symporters