OBJECTIVETo investigate the levels of galectin-3 in the serum and surgical specimens from patients with malignant and benign thyroid lesions and explore their clinical significance.

METHODSSerum samples were collected from 159 patients with thyroid neoplasms and 16 normal subjects for detection of galectin-3 level using ELISA. The expressions of galectin-3 protein and mRNA were also detected in the surgical specimens by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization.

RESULTSGalectin-3 protein and mRNA were expressed at a rate of 96.67% in 66 cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma, 83.33% in 6 cases of follicular thyroid carcinoma, 16.67% in 36 cases of papillary hyperplasia, and 11.74% in 51 cases of thyroid adenoma. The expression level of galectin-3 mRNA was slightly lower than but positively correlated with its protein expression. Patients with thyroid carcinoma had significantly higher serum concentration of galectin-3 than those with benign thyroid lesions (papillary hyperplasia and thyroid adenoma) and normal subjects (P<0.001). In patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma, galectin-3 positivity in the tumor tissue was associated with a significantly higher serum galectin-3 level in comparison with the negative cases (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONDetection of galectin-3 in both the serum and surgical specimens can improve the diagnosis rate of thyroid carcinoma.