OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression and clinical significance of EphA2 and E cadherin proteins in papillary thyroid carcinoma tissues, and to explore the relationship between them. METHOD: Using immunohistochemical SP/PV method, we detected the expression of EphA2 and E cadherin in tumors of 43 papillary thyroid carcinomas, 11 thyroid adenoma and 10 normal thyroid tissues, then studied their relationships with clinic pathological factors. RESULT: The total positive rates of EphA2 and E cadherin expression were 58. 14% and 32. 56% in papillary thyroid carcinoma tissues, 18. 18% and 81. 81% in thyroid adenoma.tissues and they were 10. 00% and 100. 00% in normal thyroid tissues respectively. The positive expression of EphA2 in carcinoma tissues was higher than in the thyroid adenoma tissues and normal thyroid tissues (P<0. 05) and the positive expression of E cadherin in carcinoma tissues was lower than that in the thyroid adenoma tissues and normal thyroid tissues (P<0. 05). The positive expression of EphA2 and E cadherin was associated with lymph node metastasis and histological grade (P<0. 05), but it was not associated with all the clinic-pathological factors including age, sex and the tumor size (P>0. 05). In papillary thyroid carcinoma tissues, the expression of EphA2 was negatively correlated with the expression of E cadherin protein (r= -0. 416, P<0. 01). CONCLUSION EphA2 and E cadherin may be involved in carcinogenesis and development of papillary thyroid carcinoma.
Adenoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Antigens, CD ; Cadherins ; metabolism ; Carcinoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Receptor, EphA2 ; metabolism ; Thyroid Cancer, Papillary ; Thyroid Gland ; metabolism ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology

Carrier Proteins ; metabolism ; Humans ; Microfilament Proteins ; metabolism ; Neoplasm Proteins ; metabolism ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology

To determine the content of thyroglobulin in oxyphilic cells of the thyroid, which have been considered as non-thyroglobulin producing cells, the degree of stainability of the various oxyphilic cells for thyroglobulin was compared with that of non-oxyphilic follicular cells in either same or different lesion. A total of 13 oxyphilic lesions, including three follicular adenomas containing oxyphilic cell nodules, four pure oxyphilic cell adenomas, and six Hashimoto's thyroiditis were compared with 16 of non-oxyphilic lesions such as, seven follicular adenomas, four chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, and five Graves' disease. Many oxyphilic cells stained positively for thyroglobulin regardless of their morphologic variation, but less intensely than the usual follicular cells in follicular adenomas, chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, and Graves' disease. The stainability of oxyphilic cells for thyroglogulin did not show any significant correlation with morphologic features, whereas in follicular adenomas, the non-oxyphilic follicular cells forming microfollicles stained less strongly for thyroglobulin than the same cells lining large mature follicles in a reproducible way. With above findings, we concluded that oxyphilic cells maintain the functional activity in terms of thyroglobulin synthesis, although the content of the thyroglobulin is less than that of non-oxyphilic colloid forming follicular cells.
Adenoma/*metabolism/pathology ; Graves Disease/*metabolism/pathology ; Humans ; Staining and Labeling ; Thyroglobulin/*biosynthesis ; Thyroid Neoplasms/pathology ; Thyroiditis, Autoimmune/*metabolism/pathology

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the meanings of Oct-4's expression in thyroid adenoma, thyroid papillary carcinoma, thyroid follicular carcinoma, and medullary thyroid carcinoma. METHOD: We examined the expression of Oct-4 in 15 thyroid adenoma, 30 thyroid papillary carcinomas, 2 thyroid follicular carcinomas, and 3 medullary thyroid carcinomas using immunofluorescence. RESULT: Oct-4 expression was observed in all the thyroid-related diseases mentioned above. In thyroid papillary carcinomas, the expression of Oct-4 were higher than that in thyroid adenoma, and had no obvious relationship with the patients age, sex, the size and location of tumor and tumor metastasis. CONCLUSION The formation of the thyroid carcinomas may be concerned with the stem cells in thyroid. There are more stem cells in medullary thyroid carcinomas and follicular carcinomas.
Adenocarcinoma, Follicular ; metabolism ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Octamer Transcription Factor-3 ; metabolism ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology

The purpose of this review is to investigate the value of the calcification in differentiating malignant thyroid neoplasm and the molecular mechanisms for the formation of the calcification. Many published reports have proved the presence of calcifications in thyroid neoplasm and calcified nodules in these studies are more frequently malignant than noncalcified nodules. Through viewing the related references, we found that psammoma bodies (PBs), Runx2, osteocalcin, osteopontin, CD44v6 play an important role in the molecular mechanisms in the formation of the calcification in PTC. But further study is required for elucidating the mode of action.
Calcinosis ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hyaluronan Receptors ; metabolism ; Osteocalcin ; metabolism ; Osteopontin ; metabolism ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Thyroid Nodule ; pathology

Adenocarcinoma, Follicular ; classification ; metabolism ; pathology ; Adenoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; metabolism ; pathology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Signal Transduction ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; classification ; metabolism ; pathology

Increasing evidences have demonstrated the roles of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in tumor invasion and metastasis. In the invasive front of papillary thyroid carcinoma, the expressions of adhesion molecules are often lost. In anaplastic thyroid carcinoma, tumor cells showing cancer stem cell characteristics have been identified. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition may thus play a key role in the progression of thyroid cancer. Therefore, it provide new insight for the development of targeted drugs for anaplastic thyroid carcinoma.
Cadherins ; metabolism ; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition ; Humans ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; pathology ; Transcription Factors ; metabolism

OBJECTIVE: To raise clinical awareness of carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA) increased as initial manifestation of medullary thyroid cancer(MTC) and explore the diagnosis and treatment. METHOD: Clinical data of 2 cases CEA increased as the initial presentation of MTC were retrospectively analyzed and clinical manifestations of the disease, diagnosis, treatment were also discussed by literature reviewing. RESULT: Two patients received thyroid ipsilateral lobe total resection, MTC was confirmed by intraoperative frozen pathology, re-total resection of the contralateral lobe and bilateral VI lymph node dissection were performed. Lymph nodes had no metastasis confirmed by pathological frozen examination. CEA returned to normal within 2 months after surgery. No tumor recurrence and metastasis were found after follow-up for 3 to 24 months. CONCLUSION CEA increased as the initial presentation MTC was rare and clinical identification of CEA increased disease should be taken into account the MTC as possible. Total thyroidectomy and bilateral VI lymph node dissection was the main surgical treatment for it.
Adult ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo explore cytological parameters that may identify the primary sites of metastatic adenocarcinomas in serous fluid.

METHODSSerous fluid specimens from 89 cases of metastatic adenocarcinomas (40 metastatic adenocarcinomas of lung, 6 metastatic adenocarcinomas of breast, 21 metastatic ovary adenocarcinomas, 22 metastatic gastrointestinal and pancreatic adenocarcinomas) were studied by using multiple morphologic parameters. Immunocytochemical S-P method was used to detect the expression of CA125, CA199, SPB and TTF-1 in 75 cases.

RESULTSMetastatic adenocarcinomas of different primary sites displayed certain different morphologic features, including the total amount of tumor cells, size of clusters, ratio of clusters over single cells, configuration of tumor clusters and the background of the smear. Cell clusters of small to medium sizes represented 95% and 100% in the metastatic adenocarcinomas of lung and breast, respectively. Most of the ovarian metastatic adenocarcinomas (85.7%) presented some large cell clusters and larger amount of cells, whereas certain metastatic gastrointestinal and pancreatic adenocarcinomas (45.5%) presented smaller number of cells and predominantly to be single cell in distribution (40.9%). Psammoma bodies were found in metastatic adenocarcinomas of lung and ovary. SPB and TTF-1 expression supported the diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of pulmonary origin. CA125 expression supported an ovarian origin. Although CA199 was seen in all groups of metastatic adenocarcinomas, nevertheless, its appearance in tumor cells in ascitic fluid specimens supported gastrointestinal and pancreatic origins.

CONCLUSIONMorpho-logic features of the cytological smear, immunohistochemical staining and clinical history are equally important in determining the primary sites of metastatic adenocarcinomas in serous fluid.

Adenocarcinoma ; metabolism ; secondary ; Ascitic Fluid ; metabolism ; pathology ; Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Colonic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Nuclear Proteins ; metabolism ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Pleural Effusion, Malignant ; metabolism ; pathology ; Proteins ; metabolism ; Stomach Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Thyroid Nuclear Factor 1 ; Transcription Factors ; metabolism

Bone Morphogenetic Protein 1 ; metabolism ; Carcinoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Adhesion Molecules ; metabolism ; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition ; Humans ; Survival Rate ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology