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Kim, An, Kim, Park, Bae, and Kim: hTERT Expression in Thyroid Nodule
Original Article
Journal of the Korean Surgical Society

Journal of the Korean Surgical Society 2010; 78(5): 277-282.

Published online: 10 May 2010

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4174/jkss.2010.78.5.277

hTERT Expression in Thyroid Nodule

Tae-Won Kim, M.D., Chang-Hyeok An, M.D., Ph.D., Kee-Hwan Kim, M.D., Ph.D., Woo-Chan Park, M.D., Ph.D., Ja-Seong Bae, M.D., Jeong-Soo Kim, M.D., Ph.D.

Department of Surgery, Uijeongbu St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, School of Medicine, Uijeongbu, Korea.

Corresponding author (drbreast@catholic.ac.kr)

Received 15 September 2009       Accepted 11 January 2010

Copyright © 2010 The Korean Surgical Society

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.

Keywords: Telomerase, Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), Thyroid cancer

Figures and Tables

Fig. 1
Positive (A) and Negative (B) results of immunochemical stainings of hTERT in thyroid cancer tissues (×200).
jkss-78-277-g001
Table 1
Clinicopathologic features of patients
jkss-78-277-i001
Table 2
hTERT expression according to clinical features
jkss-78-277-i002

*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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