ENHANCED BETA-CATENIN EXPRESSION IS ASSOCIATED WITH RECURRENCE OF PAPILLARY THYROID CARCINOMA

A direct role of β-catenin 1 (β-cat) in the proliferation of human thyroid tumor cells has been identified. This study aimed to determine if there is an association between β-cat gene expression and the staging, recurrence, metastasis, and disease-free survival of papillary thyroid cancer.

A retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from available information in the medical records and paraffin blocks of 81 of 400 patients referred to the endocrine clinic over a 10-year period. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to evaluate β-cat gene expression. Disease-free survival was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method.

The 10-year survival rate in these patients was 98.25%, and disease-free survival was 48.1%. Cumulative dose of radioactive iodine that patients received was significantly and positively correlated with β-cat gene expression ( r = -0.2; P = .03). Also, in patients with recurrence, β-cat gene expression was higher and statistically significant (5-fold increase; P = .002). Patients in more advanced stage and those with recurrence/distant metastasis had higher β-cat gene expression. We found that the patients had a better survival (lower recurrence) if they had a lower β-cat gene expression (SD, 0.142 to 0.052) (Mantel-Cox test, P = .002).

We conclude that β-cat gene expression is positively correlated with recurrence, distant metastasis, and tumor-node-metastasis stage.

β-cat = β-catenin 1; CI = confidence interval; PTC = papillary thyroid carcinoma; ROC = receiver operating characteristic.