Journal List > J Korean Surg Soc > v.78(5) > 1011106

Kim, An, Kim, Park, Bae, and Kim: hTERT Expression in Thyroid Nodule

Abstract

Purpose

Telomerase is expressed by most malignancies including thyroid cancer. In this study, to evaluate the telomerase activity, we determine the expression of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) in benign and malignant thyroid tumors.

Methods

We examined the clinical data such as age, sex, and recurrence status of 100 patients that underwent thyroidectomy. Also, we reviewed the pathological data of the tissues (tumor size, lymph nodes, capsular invasion, perivascular invasion, perilymphatic invasion etc.). We checked hTERT expression by Allred scoring system using immunohistochemical staining.

Results

21 patients had benign thyroid nodules and 79 patients had malignant nodules. The average size of benign tumors and malignant tumors were 3.1±1.1 cm and 2.1±1.7 cm, respectively. The hTERT expression was higher in malignant tumors (82.3%) than in benign tumors (9.5%) and that difference was statistically significant. In metastatic lymph nodes status of thyroid cancers, 45 of 65 patients (69.2%) had lymphatic metastases in hTERT positive group, which is much higher than hTERT negative group (P=0.001).

Conclusion

In our study, hTERT expression may be used as a prognostic biologic marker in thyroid cancer and also in the diagnosis of malignancy.

Figures and Tables

Fig. 1
Positive (A) and Negative (B) results of immunochemical stainings of hTERT in thyroid cancer tissues (×200).
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Table 1
Clinicopathologic features of patients
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Table 2
hTERT expression according to clinical features
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*Tg = thyroglobulin.

Table 3
hTERT expression according to pathologic features
jkss-78-277-i003

*LN = lymph node.

Table 4
hTERT expression according to stage
jkss-78-277-i004

*N/A = non-applicable.

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