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Differential reactivity for galectin-3 in Hürthle cell adenomas and carcinomas

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Abstract

Hürthle cell carcinomas behave as the most aggressive variant of differentiated thyroid carcinoma of follicular origin, with frequent recurrences and higher morbidity. Its differential diagnosis with Hürthle cell adenoma remains a problem for the clinician and for the pathologist. The vertebrate lectins, galectin-1 and galectin-3 have been implicated in the regulation of cellular growth, differentiation, and malignant transformation in thyroid neoplasms. Galectin-3, a β-galactoside binding protein, has been recently found to be highly expressed in papillary and follicular carcinomas. The current study was undertaken to investigate immunohistochemical reactivity for galectin-3 of thyroid specimen tissues with Hürthle cell adenomas (n=14) and carcinomas (n=17), follicular (n=14) and papillary (n=11) carcinomas, colloid goiter (n=30), Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (n=11), follicular adenoma (n=9), and normal thyroid tissues (n=18). Follicular (78.5%) and papillary (82.0%) carcinomas were frequently reactive for galectin-3, more often when some Hürthle cells were present. There was no galectin-3 immunostaining in any of the specimens from Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, colloid goiters or normal thyroid samples, whereas only one case of follicular adenoma was found positive (11.1%). By contrast, galectin-3 immunostaining in Hürthle cell carcinomas was significantly higher (59%) than in Hürthle cell adenomas (7.1%, p<0.05). These results suggest that galectin-3 may potentially serve as a marker in difficult differential diagnosis cases involving Hürthle cell adenomas and Hürthle cell carcinomas.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Thyroid Unit (LIM-25), Univ Sao Paulo Med School, Sao Paulo, Brazil

    Maria Carolina P. A. Nascimento &  Geraldo Medeiros-Neto MD

  2. Pathology, Univ Sao Paulo Med School, Sao Paulo, Brazil

    Helio Bisi & Venancio A. F. Alves

  3. State Health Div, Inst Adolfo Lutz, Sao Paulo, Brazil

    Adhemar Longatto-Filho & Cristina T. Kanamura

Authors
  1. Maria Carolina P. A. Nascimento
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  2. Helio Bisi
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  3. Venancio A. F. Alves
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  4. Adhemar Longatto-Filho
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  5. Cristina T. Kanamura
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  6. Geraldo Medeiros-Neto MD
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Correspondence to Geraldo Medeiros-Neto MD.

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Nascimento, M.C.P.A., Bisi, H., Alves, V.A.F. et al. Differential reactivity for galectin-3 in Hürthle cell adenomas and carcinomas. Endocr Pathol 12, 275–279 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1385/EP:12:3:275

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