OBJECTIVE: Thyroid nodule is frequent and occurs in about 5+ACU- of the general population. In contrast, thyroid cancer is much less frequent and occurs in about 5-10+ACU- of thyroid nodules. Distinguishing between benign and malignant lesions is an important task that is best accomplished by fine needle aspiration. Recently, Chiappetta et al. reported that the expression of the high mobility group (HMG) I(Y) proteins correlates with the malignant phenotype of human thyroid neoplasia, and suggested that the detection of the HMG I(Y) proteins might be a valid tool for an easy and sensitive discrimination assay between benign and malignant neoplastic thyroid disease. METHODS: We evaluated the expression of the HMG I(Y) mRNA in 39 frozen thyroid tissues from patients with thyroid nodule by semiquantitative RT-PCR. RESULTS: The expression of the HMG I(Y) mRNA was low in all of 10 normal thyroid tissues. In all of 3 adenomatous goiters, 6 follicular adenomas and 2 Hurthle cell adenomas, the HMG I(Y) mRNA expression level was low. In 11 of 13 papillary carcinomas and all of 5 follicular carcinomas, the HMG I(Y) mRNA expression level was high. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that there is a correlation between the expression of HMG I(Y) and the malignant phenotype of thyroid cancer, suggesting that these proteins may be useful as a marker in thyroid cancer.
Biopsy, Needle ; Comparative Study ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; High Mobility Group Proteins/analysis+ACo- ; Human ; Male ; Probability ; RNA, Messenger/analysis+ACo- ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Thyroid Neoplasms/genetics+ACo- ; Thyroid Neoplasms/diagnosis+ACo- ; Thyroid Nodule/genetics+ACo- ; Thyroid Nodule/diagnosis+ACo- ; Tumor Markers, Biological/analysis+ACo-

We report a case of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma(NHL) with simultaneous involvement of both thyroid and bilateral adrenal glands. Literature review on a computerized search showed that this is an extremely rare condition. The final diagnosis of diffuse large B cell lymphoma was confirmed by biopsies of thyroid gland, enlarged cervical lymph node, and adrenal gland. The significant endocrine dysfunction of the thyroid, adrenal or other endocrine glands was absent in our case. The patient responded dramatically to three cycles of chemotherapy with no complication or endocrine dysfunction and continues to be followed.
Adrenal Gland Neoplasms/drug therapy ; Adrenal Gland Neoplasms/diagnosis+ACo- ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Agents, Combined/therapeutic use ; Biopsy, Needle ; Case Report ; Cyclophosphamide/administration +ACY- dosage ; Doxorubicin/administration +ACY- dosage ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Human ; Lymphoma, Large-Cell/drug therapy ; Lymphoma, Large-Cell/diagnosis+ACo- ; Prednisolone/administration +ACY- dosage ; Thyroid Neoplasms/drug therapy ; Thyroid Neoplasms/diagnosis+ACo- ; Treatment Outcome ; Vincristine/administration +ACY- dosage