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Mcm‐2 and Ki‐67 Have Limited Potential in Preoperative Diagnosis of Thyroid Malignancy
Author(s) -
Mehrotra Pallavi,
Gonzalez Michael A.,
Johnson Sarah J.,
Coleman Nick,
Wilson Janet A.,
Davies Barry R.,
Lennard Tom W. J.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1097/01.mlg.0000225931.59644.93
Subject(s) - malignancy , thyroid , pathology , thyroid nodules , immunohistochemistry , follicular phase , adenoma , medicine , ki 67 , thyroid carcinoma , follicular cell
Objectives: Minichromosome maintenance protein 2 (Mcm‐2) is essential for DNA replication and serves as a useful biomarker of cell‐cycle state in human tissue samples. Ki‐67 is an established proliferation marker. Because Mcm‐2 expression has not previously been assessed in thyroid tissue, the aim of this study was to assess the expression of both proteins in a range of thyroid lesions to determine their potential value as preoperative markers of thyroid malignancy. Methods: Mcm‐2 and Ki‐67 protein expression were assessed by immunohistochemistry in formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded thyroid tissues from 128 patients with histologic diagnoses of papillary carcinoma (n = 38), follicular carcinoma (n = 22), follicular adenoma (n = 33), and dominant nodules of multinodular goitre (n = 35). Results: Mcm‐2 and Ki‐67‐labeling indices (LIs) were both higher in follicular and papillary carcinomas than in follicular adenomas or dominant nodules. The Ki‐67 LI discriminated better between follicular carcinomas and follicular adenomas ( P < .0001) than Mcm‐2 ( P = .0273). However, the Mcm‐2 and Ki‐67 LIs overlapped widely between the four histologic groups, and the expression of these proteins was also noted to be heterogenous within these lesions. Conclusion: Neither Mcm‐2 or Ki‐67 can currently be reliably applied as preoperative markers to distinguish benign from malignant thyroid lesions.