Endocrine Abstracts

There were evaluated galectin-3 expression in 66 fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) specimens from patients with thyroid gland nodules by flow cytometry method. We include in our study 29 patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), 31 – with follicular neoplasia, 6 – with nodular colloid goiter by cytological examination. For specimens analysis, taken by FNAB of thyroid gland nodules, were used indirect immunofluorence method /Coons/.

Results: Among 29 patients with preoperative PTC diagnosis, Gal-3 expression were observed in 27 specimens and in 25 (92.6%) patients high differentiated thyroid gland cancer were confirmed by histological study; in two cases (7.4%) were diagnosed benign thyroid gland diseases. In two cases (6.9%), when gal-3 expression was not observed, on histological study was confirmed PTC. In group of patients with follicular neoplasia cytological diagnose gal-3 expression was observed in two cases of high differentiated thyroid gland cancer (PTC and follicular thyroid cancer) and in two cases of follicular and oncocytic adenoma. There was detected no Gal-3 expression in the rest of 27 patients with benign thyroid gland diseases. In the six patients with nodular colloid goiter gal-3 expression was not detected (100%). Thereby, in our study sensitivity of immunocytochemical method of Galectin-3 detection in thyroid gland nodules aspirates was 93.1%, specificity was 89.2%, and diagnostic accuracy 90.9%.

Conclusion: Immunocytochemical detection of Galectin-3 protein expression by flow cytometry method could be useful adjunctive marker in preoperative diagnostic of thyroid gland cancer.