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Expression of somatostatin receptor 2A in medullary thyroid carcinoma is associated with lymph node metastasis
Author(s) -
Herac Merima,
Niederle Bruno,
Raderer Markus,
Krebs Michael,
Kaserer Klaus,
Koperek Oskar
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
apmis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.909
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1600-0463
pISSN - 0903-4641
DOI - 10.1111/apm.12584
Subject(s) - desmoplasia , somatostatin receptor , medicine , pathology , lymph node , thyroid carcinoma , medullary thyroid cancer , immunohistochemistry , somatostatin , medullary carcinoma , metastasis , thyroid , cancer research , cancer , stroma
Medullary carcinoma ( MTC ) is an aggressive tumour that derives from the thyroid parafollicular calcitonin‐secreting cells (C cells). Lymph node metastasis may occur early in disease pathogenesis and is one of the most important negative prognostic parameters. Surgery is the only curative therapy while chemotherapeutic options are limited. Neuroendocrine differentiated C cells may express somatostatin receptors ( SSTR ), which have a wide range of biological actions including inhibitory effects on cell survival and angiogenesis and antiproliferative effects on cancer cell lines. Moreover, they are a potential target for various somatostatin analogues. Aim of this study was to analyse the protein expression of SSTR 2A and 5 in MTC s with or without the presence of lymph node metastases in correlation with various clinicopathological parameters. This retrospective immunohistochemical analysis included 97 patients with medullary thyroid carcinomas. Protein expression was detected by immunohistochemistry for somatostatin receptors 2A and 5. Various clinicopathological parameters, such as Ki‐67 proliferation index or presence of desmoplasia, were included for statistical analysis. SSTR 2A protein expression significantly correlated with the presence of lymph node metastases (p = 0.009), locally advanced MTC s staged according to the TNM (p < 0.001) and degree of desmoplasia (p = 0.029). Although SSTR 5 protein expression significantly correlated with advanced stages of MTC s (p = 0.023) and degree of desmoplasia (p = 0.020), no correlation was found with the presence of lymph node metastases. Our results provide additional information concerning the aggressiveness of MTC s and reveal that a high SSTR 2A and SSTR 5 expression might be a poor prognostic feature.