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Published on: March 13, 2018
Low expression of sodium iodide symporter expression in aggressive variants of papillary thyroid carcinoma
Songfeng Wei1, Ming Gao, Cui Zhao
1Department of Head and Neck Tumor, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Huanhuxi Road, Ti-Yuan-Bei, Hexi District, Tianjin, 300060, People's Republic of China.
Background:
A decreased radioiodine uptake is associated with high recurrence rate and reduced survival in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Sodium iodide symporter (NIS) expression status in aggressive PTC variants is unknown.
Methods:
NIS expression in conventional PTC and aggressive PTC variants such as tall cell variant (TCV) and diffuse sclerosing variant (DSPTC) was investigated using immunohistochemical detection.
Results:
Patients having TCV and DSPTC were significantly more likely to have extrathyroidal extension and lymph nodes metastases (P < 0.05). Positive NIS staining was identified in 228 of 312 (73.1 %) patients with conventional PTC, 9 of 28 (32.1 %) patients with TCV and 12 of 30 (40.0 %) patients with DSPTC. NIS expression distinguished conventional PTC from TCV and DSPTC significantly (P < 0.01).
Conclusion:
Due to their low NIS expression, TCV and DSPTC need higher cumulative doses of radioactive iodine therapy to improve their prognosis.
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