Open AccessSignificant Correlation of Telomerase Activity in Thyroid Papillary Carcinomas with Cell Differentiation, Proliferation and Extrathyroidal Extension
Author(s) -
Okayasu Isao,
Osakabe Toji,
Fujiwara Mutsunori,
Fukuda Hiroki,
Kato Motonobu,
Oshimura Mitsuo
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
japanese journal of cancer research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.035
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1349-7006
pISSN - 0910-5050
DOI - 10.1111/j.1349-7006.1997.tb00316.x
Subject(s) - telomerase , pathology , adenoma , follicular cell , carcinoma , thyroiditis , thyroid carcinoma , thyroid , biology , medicine , biochemistry , gene
Telomerase activity was examined by telomeric repeat amplification protocol assay in thyroid disease states, including adenomas and carcinomas, and correlated with clinicopathological features. Of a total of 26 papillary carcinomas, 16 cases (61.5%) were positive, with the poorly differentiated subtype being predominant ( P <0.05). A significantly more shortened terminal restriction fragment length ( P <0.05), higher incidence of extrathyroidal extension ( P < 0.001), and more elevated Ki‐67 labeling indices ( P <0.002) were also found in telomerase‐positive than in telomerase‐negative papillary carcinomas. Of four follicular carcinomas, 3 cases (75.0%) were positive. Positive telomerase activity in follicular adenomas (9/23 cases, 39.1%) and lymphocytic thyroiditis (12/22 cases, 54.5%) appeared to be mainly caused by infiltrating lymphocytes. However, three cases of atypical adenoma with relatively increased Ki‐67 labeling indices were positive, suggesting a possibility of malignant potential. The good correlations with extrathyroidal invasiveness, Ki‐67 labeling indices and poor differentiation of papillary carcinomas, established by multivariatc analysis, suggest that this parameter might have potential application in the estimation of tumor progession and prognosis, and in clinical management