Significance of immunohistochemical expression of HBME1 and galectin-3 in differentiation of papillary thyroid carcinoma from benign hyperfunctioning lesions of thyroid with papillary architecture

Papillary thyroid carcinoma is the commonest type (75%-85%) of thyroid malignancy. Females are more affected than males. It can develop at any age group, but the mean age approximately 40 years. the overall 5-year survival rate for papillary thyroid cancer is 96%, with a 10-year survival rate of 93%. Our aim in this study was to evaluate the expression of HBME-1 and galectin-3 proteins in both papillary thyroid carcinoma and hyperfunctioning lesions by Immunohistochemistry and to correlate the expression of both markers in PTC with other clinicopathological parameters. This study included 60 samples, 30 hyperfunctioning thyroid samples and 30 samples of papillary thyroid carcinoma. Immunohistochemical expressions of HBME-1 and galectin-3 were examined in each case. HBME-1 expression was positive in 100% of PTC samples (30 samples), while it was positive in 13.3% (4 of 30 samples) of hyperfunctioning thyroid lesions. Galectin-3 expression was positive in 83.3% (25 of 30) of PTC samples and 16.7% (5 cases) of hyperfunctioning thyroid samples. HBME-1 and galectin-3 were very sensitive for PTC. Both markers can be used for distinction between benign and malignant lesions. An association of increased HBME-1 expression in primary PTC with the presence of lymph node metastasis, extra thyroid invasion, and tumor size of > 2cm underlines the clinical relevance of its use as independent predictive factor for poor prognosis, but there is no relation between galectin-3 expression and the clinicopathological features of PTC.