title: Loss of ERβ expression in papillary thyroid carcinoma is associated with recurrence in young female.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the expression of oestrogen receptors (ERs) in papillary thyroid cancers (PTCs) and evaluated their prognostic role.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 81 female patients who underwent thyroid surgery and had a confirmed diagnosis of PTC between 01 January 1995 and 31 December 1996. Data on clinicopathologic parameters were obtained from patients' medical records. Tissue paraffin blocks of these 81 patients were collected for immunohistochemistry for ERα and ERβ.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ERα expression was observed in only eight patients (9·9%). In contrast, ERβ expression was positive in 36 (44·4%) patients. Total thyroidectomy (84·4% vs 61·1%, P = 0·017) and cervical lymph node metastasis (62·2% vs 22·2%, P = 0·000) were more frequent in the ERβ-negative group than in the ERβ-positive group. Among younger female patients (<45 years), the ERβ-negative group showed a tendency towards more frequent recurrent or persistent disease than the ERβ-positive group (42·3% vs 13·6%, P = 0·029). In contrast, the ERα-positive group showed more recurrent or persistent disease than the ERα-negative group in older female patients (100% vs 24·1%, P = 0·024). In multivariate analysis, ERβ negativity, extrathyroidal invasion and radioactive iodine treatment were risk factors for recurrence in young female patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Loss of ERβ expression was associated with recurrence in young female PTC patients. This finding suggests that oestrogen might play a protective role in the progression of PTC via ERβ, especially in young female patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hwa Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Min Suk
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Min Joo
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Soo Youn
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Young A
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Guk Haeng
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Byeong-Cheol
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Young Joo
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Ka Hee
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Yi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D000077273:Thyroid Cancer, Papillary; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D013965:Thyroidectomy
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta