title: The role of insulin-like growth factor 1 in the development of benign and malignant thyroid nodules.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to investigate the role of IGF-1 in the development of nodular thyroid disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total number of 100 consecutive patients operated for nodular thyroid disease in our institution were included in this prospective study. In addition to classical pathological examinations, nodules and extranodular healthy tissues were sampled and immunochemically stained for IGF-1. The materials were independently evaluated using an Allred Scoring System ranging from 0 to 8. If the score was ≥1, the tissue was accepted as IGF-1 positive.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IGF-1 positivity was observed in 88% and 58% of the samples obtained from nodules and extranodular healthy tissues, respectively. Allred 8-unit scores were higher in benign nodules (n=89; 4.1±2.3) and papillary carcinomas (n=7; 6.7±1.3), than in extranodular healthy tissues in the same patients (2.3±2.3 and 3.3±1.9, respectively); and higher in papillary carcinomas than in benign nodules, when the scores were compared to each other (p<0.01 for all comparisons).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Allred 8-unit scores for IGF-1 increase in the presence of benign thyroid nodules, papillary cancer. The results of our study support the findings of previous studies demonstrating the role of IGF-1 in the development of thyroidal nodules.
authors.affiliation: Department of 1 General Surgery, Kartal Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Engin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Baştürk
authors.affiliation: Department of 1 General Surgery, Kartal Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Metin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kement
authors.affiliation: Department of 1 General Surgery, Kartal Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Dilek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yavuzer
authors.affiliation: Department of 1 General Surgery, Kartal Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Selahattin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vural
authors.affiliation: Department of 1 General Surgery, Kartal Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cem
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gezen
authors.affiliation: Department of 1 General Surgery, Kartal Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hülya Ilıksu
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Gözü
authors.affiliation: Department of 1 General Surgery, Kartal Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ayşe
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karadayı
authors.affiliation: Department of 1 General Surgery, Kartal Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oncel
keywords: IGF-1; thyroid cancer; thyroid nodules