Diagnostic Feasibility of Galectin-3 for Suspicious Malignant Thyroid Nodule in Preoperative Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology.
- Author:
Tae Ik EOM
1
;
Jin Wook CHOI
;
Su Ki MIN
;
Myung Joon LEE
;
Cheol Young PARK
;
Sung Woo PARK
;
Bong Wha LEE
;
Lee Su KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Surgery, Hallym Sacred Heart Hospital, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Korea. lskim0503@hanmail.net
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Thyroid carcinoma;
Galectin-3 immunohistochemistry;
Fine needle aspiration cytology
- MeSH:
Biopsy, Fine-Needle*;
Diagnosis;
Galectin 3*;
Humans;
Immunohistochemistry;
Thyroid Gland*;
Thyroid Neoplasms;
Thyroid Nodule*;
Ultrasonography
- From:Journal of the Korean Surgical Society
2004;66(6):462-466
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) is considered as the most feasible preoperative diagnostic tool for thyroid lesions. However, the false results of FNAC are not uncommon, and so we need a development of novel supportive preoperative diagnostic modality. In previous studies, galectin-3, a beta-galactosidase-binding protein, was expressed preferentially in thyroid malignancies. In this study, we analyzed whether the galectin-3 immunohistochemistry (IHC) is useful as a preoperative diagnostic tool. METHODS: 79 patients who underwent a definite surgery for thyroid nodule were analyzed. The preoperative routine stained cytology and galectin-3 IHC for fine-needle aspirates and the galectin-3 IHC for postoperative specimen were performed. Individual results were compared with the final diagnoses. RESULTS: Of 79 specimens, 28 (35.4%) were malignant. The false negative rate (FNR) of galectin-3 IHC in the surgical specimen was 10.0%. The FNR of galectin-3 IHC for the fine-needle aspirates was 50.0% and the FNR of routine cytology was 20.5%. However, the FNR of galectin-3 IHC in the fine-needle aspirates was lowered up to 20.0% in thyroid lesions obtained by using ultrasound-guided aspiration. Among the 14 cases reported as suspicious in routine cytology, 13 cases were revealed the accurate correlations in galectn-3 IHC. CONCLUSION: It appears that galectin-3 IHC in preoperative FNAC alone had a little accuracy. However, preoperative galectin-3 IHC in thyroid lesions obtained under the ultrasound guidance could be diagnostic. Especially in suspicious group in FNAC, galectin-3 IHC could be critical method in differentiating malignant lesions from benign lesions of thyroid.