Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2005 Feb;20(1):98-104.
doi: 10.3346/jkms.2005.20.1.98.

RET/PTC and CK19 expression in papillary thyroid carcinoma and its clinicopathologic correlation

Eunah Shin  1 , Woung Youn Chung, Woo Ick Yang, Cheong Soo Park, Soon Won Hong
Affiliations

RET/PTC and CK19 expression in papillary thyroid carcinoma and its clinicopathologic correlation

Eunah Shin et al. J Korean Med Sci. 2005 Feb.

Abstract

Recently, the rearrangement of RET proto-oncogene has been reported to be the most common genetic change in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). However, its prevalence has been reported variably and its relation to clinical outcome has been controversial. The characteristic nuclear features of PTC usually render the diagnosis, but problem arises with equivocal cytologic features that are present focally. Although there remains some controversy, CK19 has been reported to be a useful ancillary tool for diagnosis of PTC. To evaluate the expression rate of RET/PTC rearrangement and CK19 in PTCs in a Korean population, we studied 115 papillary thyroid carcinomas in 3 mm-core tissue microarray based immunohistochemical analysis. The prevalence of Ret protein expression was 62.6% and the CK19 immunoreactivity was 80.9%. There was no statistically significant association between the Ret positivity and CK19 immunoreactivity, although the percent agreement of the two was relatively high. The clinicopathological variables did not correlate with the expression of Ret. In conclusion, the prevalence of Ret protein expression and its clinicopathological implications in a Korean population are not much different from those reported in previous studies. However, its detection via immunohistochemistry can be a useful diagnostic tool for diagnosing papillary thyroid carcinoma in conjunction with CK19.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
(A) 4-µm section of tissue microarray stained with H&E, showing 3 mm cores of papillary thyroid carcinomas and matched normal thyroid tissues. (B) Immunohistochemical stain for Ret antibody. (C) Immunohistochemical stain for CK19.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
H&E sections of papillary carcinomas and normal thyroid tissue in the tissue microarray. (A) Papillary carcinoma showing papillary structure (×200) and (B) unequivocal nuclear features (×400). (C) Normal thyroid tissue (×100).
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
(A) Diffuse cytoplasmic staining of the Ret antibody in the tumor tissue (×200). (B) No immunoreactivity in the matched normal thyroid tissue (×100).
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
(A) Diffuse cytoplasmic staining of the tumor cells for CK19 (×200). (B) No immunoreactivity in the matched normal thyroid tissue (×100).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Rosai J, Carcangiu ML, DeLellis RA. Tumors of the thyroid gland. Atlas of Tumor Pathology, Third Series, Fascicle 5. Washington, DC: Armed Forces Institute of Pathology; 1992. pp. 65–121.
    1. Kjellman P, Learoyd DL, Messina M, Weber G, Hoog A, Wallin G, Larson C, Robinson BG, Zedenius J. Expression of the RET protooncogene in papillary thyroid carcinoma and its correlation with clinical outcome. Br J Surg. 2001;88:557–563. - PubMed
    1. Belfiore A, Gangemi P, Costantino A, Russo G, Santonocito G, Ippolito O, DiRenzo MF, Comoglio P, Fiumara A, Vigneri R. Negative/low expression of the Met/hepatocyte growth factor receptor identifies papillary thyroid carcinomas with high risk of distant metastases. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1997;82:2322–2328. - PubMed
    1. Basolo F, Molinaro E, Agate L, Pinchera A, Pollina L, Chiappetta G, Monaco C, Santoro M, Fusco A, Miccoli P, Elisei R, Capezzone M, Pacini F. RET protein expression has no prognostic impact on the long-term outcome of papillary thyroid carcinoma. Eur J Endocrinol. 2001;145:599–604. - PubMed
    1. Pierotti MA, Bongarzone I, Borrello MG, Greco A, Pilotti S, Sozzi G. Cytogenetics and molecular genetics of carcinomas arising from thyroid epithelial follicular cells. Genes Chromosomes Cancer. 1996;16:1–14. - PubMed

MeSH terms