Density of tumor-associated macrophages correlates with lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) have recently been recognized as being important players in the tumoriogenesis of many cancers, including advanced thyroid cancer. However, a role in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), the most prevalent thyroid cancer, has not been established. We hypothesized that TAMs also facilitate tumor progression in PTC.

We investigated TAMs density in both benign thyroid lesions and PTC tumors by CD68 immunostaining. CD68-positive cell density was further associated with the clinicopathological characteristics of PTC patients. Finally, TAMs were isolated from PTC tumors and phenotyped by cytokine and receptor profiling.

The overall density of TAMs was found to be significantly higher in PTC tumors, compared with thyroid goiter and follicular adenoma. The density of TAMs was positively associated with lymph node metastasis in TNM (tumor-node-metastasis) stages III/VI compared with stages I/II. No association was observed in other common tumor features, including the BRAF mutation. The isolated TAMs presented with high levels of M2-associated cytokine and receptors, making M2 the predominant TAM phenotype.

TAMs may play a functional role in the progression of PTC.