Original scientific paper
Quantitative Analysis of Galectin-3 Expression in Benign and Malignant Thyroid Nodules
Ivan Šamija
orcid.org/0000-0002-5633-5745
; Department of Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia; Chair of Immunology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Neven Mateša
; Department of Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia
Sanja Tadinac
; Department of Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia
Tomislav Jukić
; Department of Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
In this study, galectin-3 was analyzed as a potential marker for preoperative detection
of malignant thyroid lesions. Galectin-3 expression was analyzed by quantitative real-time reverse
transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT -PCR) in preoperative thyroid fine-needle aspirates from
245 patients with thyroid nodules. Out of 245 samples, 238 were adequate for analysis by RT -PCR.
Galectin-3 was positive in 34 (89.5%) of 38 papillary carcinomas, 3 (89.5%) of 4 follicular carcinomas,
17 (53.1%) of 32 follicular adenomas, 2 (33.3%) of 6 Hurthle cell adenoma, 11 (28.2%) of 39 Hashimoto
thyroiditis, and 69 (57.9%) of 119 nodular goiter samples. Galectin-3 showed specificity of
49.5%, sensitivity of 88.1%, positive predictive value of 27.2%, and negative predictive value of 95.1%
as a marker for detection of malignant thyroid nodules. Owing to the relatively low positive predictive
value due to the relatively high false positive rate, the clinical value of galectin-3 analyzed by quantitative
real-time RT -PCR as a marker for preoperative detection of malignant thyroid lesions is limited.
Keywords
thyroid nodule; reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction; galectin-3; thyroid neoplasms; fine-needle biopsy
Hrčak ID:
247874
URI
Publication date:
1.11.2020.
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