Abstract
BackgroundForkhead box A1 (FOXA1) plays an important role in several tumors. This study investigated the potential role of FOXA1 expression in thyroid tumors. We conducted a retrospective study of 110 thyroid lesions and tumors diagnosed during 1995–2018. The expression of FOXA1 was analyzed by immunohistochemistry on archival material.ResultsNo FOXA1 immunostaining was observed in all cases of Graves’ disease, Hashimoto’s disease, multi-nodular goiter, and adenoma. FOXA1 expression was absent as well in all papillary and follicular carcinomas, Hurthle cell carcinoma, and undifferentiated sarcoma. Only three anaplastic carcinomas exhibited focally FOXA1 staining. However, FOXA1 was expressed in all medullary carcinomas. No significant correlation was found with all clinicopathological features (p > 0.05 for all). The pattern of FOXA1 staining was similar to that of calcitonin and chromogranin A (p = 0.04 and p = 0.003, respectively).ConclusionsFOXA1 is expressed mostly in all medullary thyroid carcinomas. Hence, FOXA1 could serve as an additional marker for refining the diagnosis of medullary thyroid carcinoma.
Highlights
Forkhead box A1 (FOXA1) plays an important role in several tumors
We investigated the expression of FOXA1 protein in thyroid lesions and tumors, utilizing whole slide immunohistochemistry
The cases studied were distributed into the following groups: 5 Graves’ diseases, 5 Hashimoto’s diseases, 10 multi-nodular goiters, 20 adenomas, and 70 cancers, including 19 papillary carcinomas, 16 follicular carcinomas, 18 medullary carcinomas, 15 anaplastic carcinomas, 1 Hurthle cell carcinoma, and 1 undifferentiated sarcoma
Summary
Forkhead box A1 (FOXA1) plays an important role in several tumors. This study investigated the potential role of FOXA1 expression in thyroid tumors. We conducted a retrospective study of 110 thyroid lesions and tumors diagnosed during 1995–2018. The expression of FOXA1 was analyzed by immunohistochemistry on archival material. Malignant tumors of thyroid follicular cells were classified into well-differentiated, including papillary and follicular carcinomas, and undifferentiated or anaplastic carcinomas [3]. The majority of welldifferentiated carcinomas are indolent, anaplastic carcinomas are the most aggressive tumors with a median survival time of 6 months [4]. Neither chemotherapy nor radiotherapy seems efficient in improving patient survival time [5]. An alternative treatment for this aggressive malignancy is required
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