To investigate the significance of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in thyroid carcinoma, the expression of EGFR in 81 samples of thyroid carcinoma were determined by immunohistochemical SP method and comparison among thyroid carcinoma, thyroid adenomas and normal thyroid tissue adjacent to the cancer were made. The results showed: EGFR expression was positive in 45 cases (55.6%) of thyroid carcinoma with no positive expression either in thyroid adenomas or normal thyroid tissue adjacent to the cancer (Ｐ＜0.01). There were no statistical differences between EGFR positive rate and thyroid carcinomatous pathological type, clinical stage, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis or patients′ postoperative survival time (Ｐ＞0.05). This data suggests that expression of EGFR in thyroid carcinoma is associated with its autonomous growth and malignant phenotype, but it is probably not a useful index for assessing the biological behavious and prognosis of thyroid carcinoma.
We have used immunphistochemical SP method to detect the expression of nm23 gene protein in human thyroid tissues from 86 carcinomas, 20 adenomas and 25 carcinomatous adjecent tissues. The results showed the positive staining rate were 73.3%, 40.0%and 16. 0% respective (Plt; 0. 005). Although the expression of nm23 protein had no association with the cervical lymph node metas-tases,it was significantly concordant with the tumor cell diffierentiation (Plt;0. 01) ,tumer capsule (Plt; 0. 05) and TNM stage (Plt;0.05).In addition, the patient‘s average survival time in nm23-positive cases was longer than that in nm23-negative ones (Plt;0.01).This data suggest that nm23 gene may play an important role in thyroid carcinogenesis and the expression of nm23 protein would be an useful marker in assessing the prognosis of the thyroid carcinomas.