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Aberrant expression of tumor‐associated carbohydrate antigen Globo H in thyroid carcinoma
Author(s) -
Cheng ShihPing,
Yang PoSheng,
Chien MingNan,
Chen MingJen,
Lee JieJen,
Liu ChienLiang
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of surgical oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.201
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1096-9098
pISSN - 0022-4790
DOI - 10.1002/jso.24479
Subject(s) - medicine , thyroid carcinoma , antigen , thyroid , cancer research , carcinoma , oncology , immunology
Background and Objectives The induction of tumor‐associated carbohydrate antigen results from altered glycosylation in transformed cells. Globo H is a hexasaccharide glycosphingolipid overexpressed on malignancies of epithelial origin and has become an attractive vaccine target. We aimed to investigate the expression patterns and prognostic value of Globo H in thyroid neoplasms. Methods Globo H expression was examined by immunohistochemical analysis using commercial and in‐house tissue microarrays. The expression was correlated with clinicopathologic characteristics in papillary thyroid cancer. Results Normal or benign thyroid lesions were negative for Globo H expression. Globo H was positive in 33% medullary, 24% papillary, 11% undifferentiated, and 8% follicular thyroid cancer. Globo H expression in papillary thyroid cancer was associated with extrathyroidal invasion ( P = 0.017), BRAF mutation ( P = 0.010), AMES high risk ( P = 0.045), and increased ATA risk of recurrence ( P = 0.022). Conclusions Globo H is specifically expressed in a subset of thyroid malignancies. In papillary thyroid cancer, Globo H expression is associated with invasiveness and BRAF mutation. Immunotherapy targeting Globo H may have potential applications in thyroid cancer. J. Surg. Oncol. 2016;114:853–858 . © 2016 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.