ObjectiveTo detect expressions of transient receptor potential channel C5 (TRPC5) and microRNA-320a (miR-320a) in thyroid cancer and explore clinical significances of them in thyroid cancer.MethodsThe expressions of TRPC5 and miR-320a mRNA in the thyroid cancer were investigated by searching the Ualcan database. While the expressions of TRPC5 and miR-320a mRNA in 80 cases of thyroid cancer, 35 cases of thyroid adenoma and 32 cases of normal thyroid tissues adjacent to thyroid adenoma tissues in the Zhengzhou Seventh People’s Hospital from March 2014 to March 2015 were tested. Real time PCR was used to detect the expressions of TRPC5 mRNA and miR-320a mRNA in the various tissues and Western blot was used to detect the TRPC5 protein in the thyroid cancer tissues. Therelationships between the expressions of TRPC5 and miR-320a mRNAs and clinicopathologic features of thyroid cancer were analyzed. The correlation between expressions of TRPC5 and miR-320a mRNA was analyzed by Pearson method. The risk factors influencing the prognosis were analyzed by univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model.ResultsThe results of Ualcan database showed that the expression level of TRPC5 mRNA in the thyroid cancer was higher than that in the normal thyroid tissue (P<0.001), while the expression level of miR-320a mRNA was lower than that in the normal thyroid tissue (P<0.001). The results of clinical cases showed that the expression level of TRPC5 mRNA was significantly higher, while the expression of miR-320a mRNA was significantly lower in the thyroid cancer tissues as compared with the normal thyroid tissues (P<0.05). There was a negative correlation between the expression level of TRPC5 and miR-320a mRNA in the thyroid cancer (r=−0.653, P<0.001). The expressions of TRPC5 and miR-320a mRNA were correlated with the degree of differentiation, lymph node metastasis, and TNM stage (P<0.05). Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis found that the patients with higher expression level of TRPC5 and lower expression level of miR-320a showed the poor prognosis, and multivariate analysis found that the lower tumor differentiation, later TNM stage, with lymph node metastasis, higher expression level of TRPC5 mRNA, and lower expression level of miR-320a mRNA were the risk factors affecting prognostic survival (P<0.05).ConclusionsFrom the database and clinical case data, it is concluded that TRPC5 mRNA is highly expressed, while miR-320a mRNA is lowly expressed in thyroid cancer tissues, and expressions of TRPC5 and miR-320a mRNA are related to degree of tumor differentiation, lymph node metastasis, TNM staging, and prognosis in patients with thyroid cancer. TRPC5 and miR-320a mRNA might be used as potential indicators for clinical and prognostic monitoring.