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KMID : 0616620030090020123
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Journal of Soonchunhyang Medical College
2003 Volume.9 No. 2 p.123 ~ p.130
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Expression of galectin-3 in thyroid lesions
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Kim Sang-Jin
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Abstract
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Galectin-3 is a protein of the lectin family that has been associated with neoplastic processes in various tissues. The significant expression of this protein has been described in differentiated thyroid carcinoma, suggesting that the immunohistochemical study of galectin-3 may be a potential tool for differential diagnosis of malignancy in thyroid neoplasms. The expression of galectin-3 protein was immunohistochemically examined in total of 64 cases: 19 papillary carcinomas, 8 follicular carcinomas, 2 Hurthle cell carcinomas, 2 medullary carcinomas, 1 anaplastic carcinoma, 14 follicular adenomas, 4 Hurthle cell adenomas, 8 nodular hyperplasias, 3 Graves’ diseases, 3 Hashimoto’s thyuoiditis, and 20 adjacent normal thyroid tissues. Imunohistochemical analysis revealed that all papillary carcinomas showed high and diffuse expression of galectin-3, whereas 5 of 8 follicular carcinomas displayed weak and/or focal expression of galectin-3. Non of the normal thyuoid tissue expressed galectin-3. One of 14 follicular adenomas and 1 of 8 nodular hyperplasias showed weak and focal expression of galection-3. So, immunohistochemical study of galectin-3 may be useful in the identification of papillary thyroid cancer, but does not appear to be useful in distinguishing follicular carcinoma from follicular adenoma. The role of galectin-3 protein as tumor marker of thyroid lesions remains to be further elucidated.
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KEYWORD
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thyroid cancer, galectin-3, immunohistochemistry
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