ObjectiveTo investigate the expressions of Snail and N-cadherin protein in thyroid papillary carcinoma (PTC) tissues and cell lines, and then discuss the clinical value of Snail and N-cadherin expressions. MethodsImmunohis-tochemical SP technique was performed to detect the expressions of Snail and N-cadherin protein in 60 cases of PTC, and the relation between the expression of Snail or N-cadherin and clinicopathologic indicators was analyzed. Western blot was used to investigate the constitutive and inducible expressions of Snail and N-cadherin protein. Results①The positive rates of Snail and N-cadherin protein expressions were 85.0% (51/60) and 78.3% (47/60) respectively in the PTC tissues of 60 patients with PTC, which were significantly higher than those (0, 0, respectively) in the corresponding normal tissues adjacent to the cancer (P < 0.01).②The positive rates of Snail and N-cadherin protein expressions in the PTC with lymph node metastasis were significantly higher than those in the PTC without lymph node metastasis (P < 0.01), which were not related with the gender, age, tumor size of the patients (P > 0.01).③There was a positive correlation between Snail and N-cadherin protein positive expression (rs=0.721, P < 0.001).④The constitutive and inducible expressions of Snail and N-cadherin in the PTC tissues and cell lines further were identified by Western blot. ConclusionsSnail and N-cadherin could constitutively express in PTC, which might play important roles in the development and metastasis of PTC. Snail and N-cadherin might be used as effective indicators.
Objective To discuss the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up visit mode of thyroid carcinoma showing thymus-like elements (CASTLE). Mothods For a systematic review of a case with CASTLE, the domestic and overseas literature was searched to analyze final diagnosis, treatment and follow-up visit indexes of that case. Results For CASTLE, the pathology combined with immunohistochemistry was the only method for final diagnosis, the operation was the main treatment, and the ultrasound as well as the computed tomography (CT) could be the follow-up visiting indexes. Conclusion CASTLE is a special kind of thyroid carcinoma, which is different from differentiated thyroid carcinoma in diagnosis, treatment and follow-up visit.
Objective To explore the progress of diagnosis and treatment for differentiated thyroid carcinoma （DTC） in pregnancy. Methods The literatures on studying the diagnosis and treatment of DTC in pregnancy were reviewed and analyzed retrospectively. Results Radionuclide scanning and radioiodine （131I） administration during pregnancy were contraindicated. Surgery during the second trimester was considered safe. Monitoring of pregnancy must be strict during each trimester if surgery was delayed until after delivery. Conclusions Pregnancy makes the diagnosis and treatment of DTC become more complicated，the diagnosis and treatment of DTC during pregnancy present a challenging situation for the endocrinologists，surgeon，and obstetrician.
ObjectiveTo investigate the impact of postoperative application of Pseudomonas aeruginosa injection on recurrence free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with abnormal serum calcitonin levels following surgery for medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). MethodsA retrospective collection of data was conducted for 214 patients with abnormal serum calcitonin levels following MTC surgery at West China Hospital of Sichuan University from January 2015 to April 2024. Propensity score matching (1∶2) was utilized to match patients’ data to reduce confounding bias, comparing RFS and OS between patients who used (Pseudomonas group) and did not use (control group) Pseudomonas aeruginosa injection. ResultsAfter propensity score matching, 72 patients with abnormal postoperative calcitonin levels were included, with 24 in the Pseudomonas group and 48 in the control group. The median follow-up time for the 72 patients was 66 months (11–168 months). The 1-year RFS rates for the Pseudomonas group and the control group were 100% and 75.0%, respectively, and the 2-year RFS rates were 87.5% and 56.3%, respectively. The RFS in the Pseudomonas group was superior to that in the control group (χ2=4.791, P=0.029). The 5-year OS rates for the Pseudomonas group and the control group were 90.9% and 93.5%, respectively, with no significant difference between the two groups (χ2=0.469, P=0.491). The Cox proportional hazards regression model indicated that the median RFS was extended in the Pseudomonas group [25 months vs. 21 months, RR=0.350, 95%CI (0.135, 0.900), P=0.029], but there was no significant impact on OS [66 months vs. 69 months, RR=2.22, 95%CI (0.229, 21.444), P=0.503]. ConclusionPostoperative use of Pseudomonas aeruginosa injection in MTC patients with abnormal serum calcitonin level shows significant improvement in RFS, but no significant change in OS.
Objective To summarize the research progress on diagnostic criteria of lymph node metastasis in medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), and the indication and scope of lateral cervical lymph node dissection (LCLND). Method By searching PubMed and CNKI databases, the related guidelines and literature about the diagnosis and treatment of lateral cervical lymph node metastasis in MTC in recent years were obtained and reviewed. Results The metastatic rate of lateral cervical lymph nodes in MTC patients was high. The indication of LCLND was both consensus and controversy. The LCLND of MTC was also controversial, and the focus of controversy mainly focused on the survival rate, recurrence rate, distant metastasis and postoperative complications of patients receiving prophylactic LCLND. Different imaging methods had their own advantages and disadvantages in diagnosing lymph node metastasis of MTC. Nuclear medicine was effective but expensive. Fine needle puncture was also an effective method for the diagnosis of lymph node metastasis of MTC. At present, calcitonin level, tumor size and lymph node metastasis were still important indicators for evaluating MTC for prophylactic LCLND, but the application of related indications had not been unified. Many scholars recommended comprehensive consideration of various indicators to evaluate whether MTC carried out preventive LCLND. Conclusions The LCLND of MTC needs to be further explored and standardized on the basis of the existing consensus. The focus of prophylactic LCLND should be to improve the survival rate of patients while reducing complications as much as possible.
Objective To analyze the clinical and pathological factors related to the metastasis of contralateral central lymph nodes (Cont-CLNs) in unilateral near isthmus papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), and to establish a prediction model of lymph node metastasis, so as to provide reference for the scope of lymph node dissection. Methods A total of 381 unilateral PTC patients from February 2012 to June 2022 were collected in our hospital, and according to the location of the cancer, they were divided into the isthmus group (n=152) and the unilateral glandular lobe group (n=229) , and the correlation analysis was performed on whether there was Cont-CLNs metastasis. One hundred and fifty-two patients in the unilateral isthmus PTC group were further divided into metastatic and non metastatic groups based on whether Cont-CLNs metastasis occurred. Univariate analysis was used to analyze the relationship between gender, age, distribution of glandular lobe, tumor size, tumor location, pathological subtype, capsule invasion, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level, combine Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT), ipsilateral central lymph nodes（Ipsi-CLNs) metastasis and Cont-CLNs metastasis. According to the univariate analysis results of this study and the possible high-risk factors of contralateral central lymph node metastasis of unilateral thyroid papillary carcinoma in other literatures, they were included in logistic multivariate analysis to obtain independent risk factors and establish a prediction model. Results The incidence of Cont-CLNs metastasis in unilateral isthmus PTC patients was higher than that in nilateral glandular lobe group (24.3% vs. 14.4%, χ²=6.009, P=0.014). Univariate analysis showed that Cont-CLNs metastasis in patients with unilateral near isthmus PTC was correlated with age (P=0.02), tumor size (P＜0.01), capsule invasion (P＜0.01) and Ipsi-CLNs metastasis (P＜0.01), but not with gender, distribution of glandular lobe, tumor location, pathological subtype, TSH level and whether to merge HT (P＞0.05). Further logistic multivariate analysis suggested that capsule invasion and Ipsi-CLNs metastasis were independent risk factors for Cont-CLNs metastasis in patients with unilateral near isthmus PTC. Moreover, the above logistic multifactor prediction model is proved to be effective by the test of goodness of fit by Hosmer and Lemeshow. Conclusions Capsule invasion and Ipsi CLNs metastasis are high risk factors for Cont-CLNS metastasis in patients with unilateral near isthmus PTC. It is suggested that such patients should be cleaned up with prophylactic Cont-CLNs while cleaning up Ipsi-CLNs.
Objective To study the clinical value ofNa＋/I－ symporter (NIS) expression on thyroid carcinoma diagnosis and 131I therapeutic effects prediction. Methods Thirty-one cases of thyroid carcinomas enrolled in this hospital from 1998 to 2006 were included. Using immunohistochemical method, NIS expression location, positive cell staining and expression intensity were observed, which was calculated by immunohistochemical scores (IHS) and NIS expression level was compared between primary and metastatic carcinoma. Results NIS was over-expressed on the basolateral membrane in positive control——Grave disease tissue, and showed no staining in negative control. NIS was expressed in cytoplasm in all 31 primary carcinomas, and IHS was over or equaled to 4 in 80.65% of them. Except for 2 no staining, NIS was expressed in cytoplasm in the rest 28 metastatic carcinomas. NIS expression was related to the pathological type of thyroid carcinoma, the best in PTC, then FTC, and the weakest in fvPTC. NIS expression in metastatic carcinoma was related to that in primary carcinoma.Conclusion NIS is over-expressed in cytoplasm in most thyroid carcinoma, and the iodide uptaking defect is mainly due to its wrong location. It has great potential to be applied in clinic by that it can help with the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid diseases, especially between FTA and FTC, and that it can help predict the therapeutic effects of 131I therapy following thyroid operation.
Objective To investigate the expression level and methylation level of micro RNA-34b（miR-34b） gene in papillary thyroid carcinoma （PTC）， and to analyze the relationship between methylation and clinicopathological characters of PTC. Methods PTC tissues and tumor adjacent tissues were collected from 25 patients with PTC who underwent operation in Huai’an First People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from Sep. 2008 to Oct. 2010. Expression of miR-34b gene and level of methylation in gene promoter were detected by real time PCR and methylation-specific PCR in the 2 kinds of tissues， respectively. Results The expression value of miR-34b mRNA in PTC tissues was 0.85±0.05， which was significantly lower than those of tumor adjacent tissues （1.62±0.09）， P=0.030. There were methylation in 18 （72%，18/25） PTC tissues， and 10 （40%，10/25） in tumor adjacent tissues， and the ratio of methylation was higher in PTC tissues （P=0.021）. In PTC tissues， methylation was not related to age， gender， tumor size， TNM stage， and invasion of the capsule （P＞0.05）， but was related to lymph node metastasis （P＜0.05）. Ratio of methylation in patients with lymph node metastasis was significantly higher than those of patients with no lymph node metastasis. Conclusion Methylation of miR-34b gene promoter is one of the reasons for inactivation of PTC， and it may be related to the development and metastasis of PTC， which needs to be further investigated.
ObjectiveTo explore the safety-related factors for total thyroidectomy in differentiated thyroid carcinoma. MethodsThe clinical data of 72 patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma treated by total thyroidectomy from January 2002 to January 2010 were retrospectively analyzed, the laryngeal recurrent nerve injury and hypoparathyroidism were observed. ResultsThe incidences of hypoparathyroidism and laryngeal recurrent nerve injury were 15.28% （11/72) and 4.17%（3/72）, respectively. The hypoparathyroidism was significantly related to the thyroid reoperation, the lymph nodes metastases of central compartment, or the extraglandular invasion of the primary tumor (Plt;0.05), but not to the dissection of neck lymph nodes (Pgt;0.05). The laryngeal recurrent nerve injury was not relative to those factors (Pgt;0.05). ConclusionThe safetyrelated factors of total thyroidectomy in differentiated thyroid carcinoma include thyroid reoperation, the lymph node metastasis of central compartment, and the extraglandular invasion of the primary tumor.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the pattern and predictive factors of regional lymph node metastasis in papillay thyroid carcinoma (PTC). MethodsThe clinical data of 223 patients with PTC whom suffered operation from Dec.2008 to Dec.2011 in our hospital were retrospective analyzed.The relationship among the lymph node metastasis of different area of the neck and patient's sex, age, preoperative TSH level, tumor size, multifocality, extracapsular spread, Hashimoto thyroiditis, nodular goiter, and the T classification of the tumors were analyzed. ResultsThe univariate analysis results showed that patient's age≥45 years old and associated with nodular goiter were statistically significantly related to central lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05), for lateral lymph node metastases, the multifocality were statistically significant (P < 0.05).The multivariate analysis results showed that patient's age≥45 years old and associated with nodular goiter were protective factors for central lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05), for lateral lymph node metastasis, the multifocality was risk factor (P < 0.05).Most of the lateral lymph node metastases were confined to levels Ⅱ-Ⅳ, and the incidence of level Ⅲ was as highest as 100%.When the skip metastasis, the levels Ⅱ-Ⅳ were the transfer of high incidence areas. ConclusionsWhen age < 45 years old of patients with PTC, the central neck dissection should be routine performed.The incidence of central lymph node metastasis will decrease if associated with nodular goiter.Because multifocality is a risk factor for lateral lymph node metastasis, careful inspection levels Ⅱ-Ⅳ should be performed during operation, espe-cially level Ⅲ lymph nodes.If skip metastasis is present, levels Ⅱ-Ⅳ dissection would be a proper treatment option.