The Expression of c-met, c-Ha-ras and c-myc Oncogene in Thyroid Papillary Cancer and Prognostic Factor.
- Author:
Young Jig LEE
1
;
Geun Sin RYU
;
Young Don LEE
Author Information
1. Department of General Surgery, Gachon Medical College, Gil Medical Center.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Papillary thyroid cancer;
c-met;
c-Ha-ras;
c-myc oncogene;
Prognostic factor
- MeSH:
Carcinoma, Papillary;
Humans;
Immunohistochemistry;
Lymph Nodes;
Membranes;
Neoplasm Metastasis;
Oncogenes*;
Thyroid Gland*;
Thyroid Neoplasms
- From:Journal of the Korean Surgical Society
2000;58(2):197-204
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Many oncogenes have been recently identified in human thyroid carcinomas, but the molecular mechanisms that lead to thyroid neoplasia are not well understood. To assess whether oncogene- encoded proteins can be regarded as useful prognostic indicators, we have evaluated the expressions of c-met, c-Ha-ras, c-myc oncogenes in patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) in relation to the prog nostic factors. METHODS: We used immunohistochemistry to examine the expressions of c-met, c-Ha-ras, and c-myc oncogenes in 54 paraffin-embedded PTC specimens. We measured both the proportion (scale of 0-3) and the intensity (scale of 0-3) of the stained cells and then calculated the staining index (scale of 0-9) by multiplying the proportion and the intensity scores. The staining index was thus categorized as negative/low (staining index < or =5) or high (staining index >5). The considered prognostic factors were age (over 45), tumor size (over 1.5 cm), lymph node metastasis, capsular invasion, vascular invasion, and distant metastasis. RESULTS: 1) The rates of expression of c-met, c-Ha-ras, c-myc oncogenes were 100%, 81.5%, and 70.3% in papillary thyroid cancer and 100%, 30%, and 10% in benign tumors and 60%, 10%, and 0% in normal thyroid tissue, respectively. The expression of c-met oncogene was restricted to the membrane the expression of c-Ha-ras was stromal in 95.5% of the specimens, and that of c-myc was stromal in 94.7%. 2) High expression (staining index >5) of c-met, c-Ha-ras and c-myc were not associated with the prognostic factors such as age, tumor size, lymph node metastasis, capsular invasion, vascular invasion and distant metastasis. CONCLUSION: Although the rates of expression of c-met, c-Ha-ras, and c-myc oncogenes were high in papillary carcinomas (100%, 81.5%, and 70.3%, respectively), there was no relationship between the high expression rates of the oncogenes and prognostic factors.
