Advanced Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Research Articles

Comparison of unilateral versus bilateral central neck dissection for clinically invasive papillary thyroid carcinoma.

The American Thyroid Association guidelines primarily recommend central neck dissection for papillary thyroid carcinoma with advanced primary tumors or clinically positive neck nodes. However, the appropriate extent of dissection remains unclear. We aimed to compare the rate of locoregional recurrence between unilateral and bilateral central neck dissection in invasive papillary thyroid carcinoma. Among 330 consecutive patients who underwent total thyroidectomy with central neck dissection for advanced papillary thyroid carcinoma, 212 underwent unilateral central neck dissection (UCND group) while 118 underwent bilateral central neck dissection (BCND group). We performed 1:1 propensity score matching, resulting in 99 matched pairs. Surgical outcomes and safety were compared between the two groups. Additionally, the impact of surgery on locoregional recurrence was compared using survival analysis. During a follow-up of 47.8 ± 20.4 months, 29 (8.8%) patients experienced locoregional recurrence within the entire study cohort. Following propensity score matching, no significant difference in recurrence-free survival was observed between the two groups (log-rank p = 0.516). Multivariate analysis revealed that only T4 staging was an independent risk factor for locoregional recurrence (p = 0.006). The mean number of total and metastatic central lymph nodes retrieved were significantly greater in BCND group (14.1 vs. 9.3, p < 0.001 and 6.8 vs. 4.6, p = 0.005, respectively). There was no significant difference in postoperative stimulated thyroglobulin levels between the two groups (0.79 ng/mL vs. 1.44 ng/mL, p = 0.389). The present study demonstrates no prognostic benefit in conducting bilateral central neck dissection. Unilateral central neck dissection may be the preferred choice for clinically invasive papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Association of BRAF or TERT Promoter Mutations and Advanced Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma.

BRAF and TERT promoter mutations are associated with the poor prognosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma. This single-center retrospective study investigated the influence of these genes on advanced cases. Advanced cases who underwent gene panel testing and cases who underwent complete resection were classified as groups A and C, respectively. The gene mutations were determined using gene panel testing or Sanger sequencing using tumor DNA. The study included 51 cases in group A and 44 cases in group C. In group A, all cases had unresectable lesions or distant metastasis; 82.4% of cases showed no accumulation of radioactive iodine in metastasis and 47.1% of cases were administered drug therapy. Meanwhile, all cases of group C did not have distant metastasis. The prevalence of TERT promoter mutations was significantly higher in group A compared to group C (70.6% vs. 18.2%, p<0.001). However, there was no significant difference in the prevalence of BRAF mutations between the two groups (86.3% vs. 90.9%). In Group C, disease-free survival was significantly shorter in patients harboring the TERT promoter mutations (p<0.001), despite no significant difference in that according to the BRAF mutation status. In addition, there was no significant difference in overall survival in group A according to the TERT promoter mutation status. Advanced papillary thyroid carcinoma was associated with the TERT promoter mutations, but not with BRAF mutation. Meanwhile, TERT promoter mutations did not affect overall survival among the advanced cases.

B7-H3 and ICAM-1 are potentially therapeutic targets for thyroid carcinoma

Although most differentiated thyroid carcinoma has a clinically favorable prognosis, some of specific types of thyroid cancer (such as anaplastic thyroid carcinoma and advanced papillary thyroid carcinoma) show fatal outcomes and require novel treatments. Immunotherapy is a promising avenue for the treatment of advanced thyroid carcinoma. B7-H3 (B7 homolog 3 protein) and ICAM-1 (intercellular adhesion molecule 1), as two important immune checkpoints (ICPs), is becoming hopeful target spots for immunotherapy. A growing amount of evidence has suggested that B7-H3 and ICAM-1 are upregulated in papillary thyroid carcinoma. However, their expression level in specific types of thyroid cancer remains largely unclear. In the present study, we explored the expression level of B7-H3 and ICAM-1 in different types of thyroid carcinoma. In the groups of the TCGA cohort, both B7-H3 and ICAM-1 mRNA were highly expressed in thyroid carcinoma. Furthermore, the patients with Stage2, 61-80y, Follicular thyroid papillary carcinoma and N0 had lower B7-H3 and ICAM-1 mRNA expression. In the groups of our cohort, PTCs and ATCs showed frequently moderate to strong expression of B7-H3 and ICAM-1 protein expression. The significant relevance of B7-H3 staining score with ICAM-1 staining score was observed in TCGA database and our cohort, which might open avenues for the combination therapy in advanced thyroid cancer.

A Case of Inoperable Advanced Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Maintaining Long-term Stable Disease State after Palliative Aim Radiation Therapy Alone

The current standard of treatment for differentiated thyroid cancer is surgical resection followed by radioactive iodine therapy according to the recurrence risk. However, external beam radiotherapy may be recommended in limited cases where surgical resection is impossible or residual gross lesion remains or the aforementioned standard therapy is deemed insufficient in achieving local control. We report a case of 59 year old patient who presented with advanced papillary thyroid carcinoma of right neck but was unable to receive surgical resection due to underlying Eisenmenger syndrome. He received radiation therapy of 67.5 Gy in 30 fractions with palliative aim with no further treatment and has been maintaining long-term stable disease state for 38 months. Herein, we report a rare case of palliative aim radiation therapy alone for advanced papillary thyroid carcinoma with literature review.

Debulking surgery in locally advanced papillary thyroid carcinoma

Debulking surgery in locally advanced papillary thyroid carcinoma

CA19-9 producing locally advanced papillary thyroid carcinoma: a case report.

CA19-9 is a tumor marker for gastrointestinal and biliary-pancreatic adenocarcinomas; however, its association with thyroid cancer is unknown. Here, we report a case of CA19-9 producing locally advanced papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). A 66-year-old woman who was identified with a thyroid tumor after a close examination of an elevated serum CA19-9 level, which was detected at health screening, was referred to our hospital. Ultrasonography revealed a 34 × 31mm hypoechoic lesion in the lower pole of the left thyroid lobe. Computed tomography revealed a solid thyroid tumor with tracheal invasion without any distant metastases. Bronchoscopy revealed tumor exposure into the tracheal lumen on the left side of the trachea. Fine-needle aspiration cytology led to a diagnosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). The patient underwent a total thyroidectomy, tracheal sleeve resection with end-to-end anastomosis, and lymph node dissection in the left cervical and superior mediastinal regions (D3c) with a reversed T-shaped upper sternotomy down to the third intercostal level. Histopathological analysis confirmed the diagnosis of PTC with tracheal invasion and no lymph node metastases (pT4a Ex2 N0). Immunohistochemical staining showed the expression of CA19-9 in cancer cells. Postoperatively, the serum CA19-9 level of the patient decreased to within the normal range. Some PTCs produce CA19-9, although less frequently. When elevated serum CA19-9 levels are observed, PTC should be included in the differential diagnosis for further investigation.

Young and resilient: Unraveling papillary thyroid cancer outcomes in males under 40.

While males present with more adverse clinicopathologic features in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), younger age has previously been shown to be a favorable prognostic factor. We examined the combined effect of male sex and young age on PTC outcomes. We conducted a retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database of thyroid cancer surgery patients (2000-2020) at a single quaternary care institution. We included papillary thyroid carcinoma cases and excluded those with prior cancer-related thyroid surgery. We examined demographics, cancer stage, surgical outcomes, and complications by age and sex, analyzing groups below and above the age of 40years. A total of 680 patients with PTC were included. Females constituted 68% (age ≥40years: 44% and <40years: 24%) and males 32% (≥40years: 24% and <40years: 8%). A significant difference (p<0.001) of N1 disease distribution was found between the groups. N1a metastasis was greater in patients younger than 40 regardless of sex ((M<40 (15%), F<40 (15%), M≥40 (12%), and F≥40 (9%)). While, M<40 had greater N1b metastasis (36%) than all other groups (M≥40 (28%), F<40 (22%), and F≥40 (10%)). There was no significant difference in the distribution ofT stages between groups. Groups showed no differences in 30-day outcomes, recurrence at 1year, reoperation, mortality, nerve injury, or hypocalcemia. Young males with PTC face increased occurrence of nodal metastasis yet experience similar recurrence rates as their female and older counterparts. Subgroup analysis underscores the predictive role of sex and age in advanced PTC cases.

A Misleading Case of NTRK-Rearranged Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma.

Herein, we present a misleading case of advanced papillary thyroid carcinoma with lung, node, and pleural metastases, initially diagnosed as metastatic lung adenocarcinoma with papillary features, based on the histological and immunohistochemical analysis of a pleural biopsy. Between August 2019 and August 2020, the patient received 2 ineffective lines of systemic therapy, including a first line of chemotherapy with cisplatin and pemetrexed, and a second line of immunotherapy with atezolizumab. Comprehensive genomic profiling by next-generation sequencing on the archival pleural biopsy revealed an NTRK1-TMP3 fusion and comutation of the TERT promoter, commonly found in papillary thyroid carcinoma. After palliative partial thyroidectomy that confirmed the diagnosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma, in February 2021, the patient was enrolled in the STARTRK-2 GO40782 basket trial and received entrectinib, an oral pan-TRK inhibitor specifically targeting NTRK-rearranged tumors. After initially experiencing drug-related grade 2 anorexia, dysgeusia, and neurotoxicity and grade 3 asthenia, the dose was reduced, and an excellent and durable objective response was observed.

THU510 The Frequency Of Mutations In Advanced Thyroid Cancer In Japan: A Real Clinical Setting

Abstract Disclosure: S. Toda: None. A. Takahashi: None. K. Masudo: None. H. Iwasaki: None. Background: Thyroid cancer has a high incidence of actionable genetic alterations, but the frequency of mutations in advanced thyroid cancer that requires drug therapy is unknown. Therefore, we examined the outcomes of genetic testing performed in a real clinical setting for the purpose of pharmacotherapy. Methods: In Japan, Oncomine Dx is approved for thyroid cancer that requires drug therapy, and comprehensive genomic profiling is approved for anaplastic thyroid carcinoma and other thyroid carcinomas after the induction of tyrosine kinase inhibitors. We retrospectively reviewed the cases of those who had their tests performed between 2020 and 2022. Results: The study included 65 patients, and the testing methods used were Oncomine Dx in 36 cases, FoundationOne in 25 cases, and FoundationOne Liquid in 4 cases. With a median age of 74 years (range 17–86), 42 were female and 23 were male. Moreover, 13 cases had anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC), 4 follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC), 42 papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), and 6 poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma (PDTC). Of the PTC examined by Oncomine Dx, 96.8% (30/31) were RAI-refractory; all comprehensive genomic profiling testing cases except ATC had previously been treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors. In the following cases, actionable mutations were observed. Among 13 ATC cases, 46.2% (6) had BRAF mutation and 7.7% (1) had RET fusion. Of 42 PTC cases, 85.7% (36) had BRAF mutation and 7.1% (3) had RET fusion. Of 6 PDTC cases, 33.3% (2) had BRAF mutation and 16.7% (1) had RET fusion. No actionable mutations were observed in FTC (0/4). We found one case each of ATC and PTC with tumor mutation burden of 10 or higher, both with BRAF mutation. NTRK fusion was not observed in any of the 65 patients studied. There were four PTC cases (9.5%) with iodine accumulation in metastases, two with BRAF mutations, one with RET fusion, and one without detectable mutations. Comparing mutations in ATC and non-ATC, TERT promoter mutations were found in 84.6% of ATC (11/13) vs. 56.2% of non-ATC (9/16), whereas TP53 mutations were found in 76.9% of ATC (10/13) vs. 12.5% of non-ATC (2/16). ATC has a significantly higher prevalence of TP53 mutations. Conclusion: Advanced thyroid cancer is more likely to have actionable mutations. BRAF mutations in advanced PTC may be more common than those previously reported in standard PTC. Moreover, ATC has a higher rate of TP53 mutation than other thyroid carcinomas. Presentation: Thursday, June 15, 2023

Surgical resection following therapy with anlotinib in locally advanced papillary thyroid carcinoma: a case description.

Surgical resection following therapy with anlotinib in locally advanced papillary thyroid carcinoma: a case description.

Different Molecular Phenotypes of Progression in BRAF- and RAS-Like Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma.

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) can be classified into two distinct molecular subtypes, BRAF-like (BL) and RASlike (RL). However, the molecular characteristics of each subtype according to clinicopathological factors have not yet been determined. We aimed to investigate the gene signatures and tumor microenvironment according to clinicopathological factors, and to identify the mechanism of progression in BL-PTCs and RL-PTCs. We analyzed RNA sequencing data and corresponding clinicopathological information of 503 patients with PTC from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. We performed differentially expressed gene (DEG), Gene Ontology, and molecular pathway enrichment analyses according to clinicopathological factors in each molecular subtype. EcoTyper and CIBERSORTx were used to deconvolve the tumor cell types and their surrounding microenvironment. Even for the same clinicopathological factors, overlapping DEGs between the two molecular subtypes were uncommon, indicating that BL-PTCs and RL-PTCs have different progression mechanisms. Genes related to the extracellular matrix were commonly upregulated in BL-PTCs with aggressive clinicopathological factors, such as old age (≥55 years), presence of extrathyroidal extension, lymph node metastasis, advanced tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage, and high metastasis-age-completeness of resection- invasion-size (MACIS) scores (≥6). Furthermore, in the deconvolution analysis of tumor microenvironment, cancer-associated fibroblasts were significantly enriched. In contrast, in RL-PTCs, downregulation of immune response and immunoglobulin-related genes was significantly associated with aggressive characteristics, even after adjusting for thyroiditis status. Conclusion: The molecular phenotypes of cancer progression differed between BL-PTC and RL-PTC. In particular, extracellular matrix and cancer-associated fibroblasts, which constitute the tumor microenvironment, would play an important role in the progression of BL-PTC that accounts for the majority of advanced PTCs.

ICAM1 antibody drug conjugates exert potent antitumor activity in papillary and anaplastic thyroid carcinoma

Treatment options for anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) and refractory papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) are limited and outcomes remain poor. In this study, we determined via bioinformatic expression analyses and immunohistochemistry staining that intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM1) is an attractive target for ATC and PTC. We designed and engineered two ICAM1-directed antibody-drug conjugate (I1-MMAE and I1-DXd), both of which potently and selectively ablate multiple human ATC and PTC cell lines without affecting non-plastic cells invitro. Furthermore, I1-MMAE and I1-DXd mediated a potent tumor regression in ATC and PTC xenograft models. To develop a precision medicine, we also explored magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a non-invasive biomarker detection method to quantitatively map ICAM1 antigen expression in heterogeneous thyroid tumors. Taken together, this study provides a strong rationale for the further development of I1-MMAE and I1-DXd as promising therapeutic candidates to treat advanced PTC and ATC.

Central Compartment Involvement in T3 &amp; T4 Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

Background: Lymphatic metastasis in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is common; however, the extent of central compartment lymph nodes dissection (CCD) is controversial and requires the knowledge of pattern for central compartment (level VI) lymph nodes metastasis (CCM).&#x0D; Objective: To determine the frequency of central compartment (level VI) lymph node metastasis in T3 &amp; T4 papillary thyroid carcinoma.&#x0D; Methods: This study was conducted in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head &amp;Neck Surgery, BSMMU, Dhaka, from January 2019 to June 2020. A total of 31 cases of T3 &amp; T4 PTC were selected after obtaining clearance and approval from the IRB of BSMMU; the subjects were included based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. After taking informed written consent detailed history and examination was done. Ultrasound neck and fine-needle aspiration cytology was taken from all thyroid swelling. All patients had underwent total thyroidectomy with central compartment dissection. The data were analyzed by computer-based statistical software SPSS version 26. Results were expressed as frequency and percentage. Z proportion test was done as applicable.&#x0D; Results: In this study, mean (±SD) tumor size was 3.66 (±1.34) cm. 20 (64.52%) had T3 and 11 (35.48%) T4 PTC. 11 (35.48%) had N0, 20 (64.52%) N1a and 8 (25.81%) N1b. 20 (64.52%) had overall central compartment lymph nodes metastasis. Among T3 papillary thyroid carcinoma, 12 (60%) had overall central compartment lymph nodes metastasis, and inT4 papillary thyroid carcinoma, 8 (72.7%) had overall central compartment lymph nodes metastasis. This difference was not statistically significant.&#x0D; Conclusion: The frequency of central compartment (level VI) lymph node metastasis (CCM) is high (64.52%) in T3 &amp; T4 papillary thyroid carcinoma. So central compartment (level VI) should be dissected in advanced (T3 &amp; T4) papillary thyroid carcinoma.&#x0D; Bangladesh J Otorhinolaryngol 2022; 28(2): 149-156

Propensity score matching analysis of adjuvant external-beam radiotherapy for the treatment of papillary thyroid carcinoma with other organ invasions.

The role of adjuvant external-beam radiotherapy (EBRT) in the treatment of locally advanced papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) remains controversial due to the lack of prospective data and the conflicting retrospective data. This study aimed to determine the benefits of adjuvant EBRT in patients with PTC and other organ invasions using propensity score matching to reduce the heterogeneity of the patient population. Data from patients with PTC with other organ invasions but no distant metastases who underwent surgery and adjuvant radioactive iodine (RAI) alone (Non-EBRT group) or adjuvant EBRT plus RAI (EBRT group) were retrospectively reviewed. Propensity matching was used to reduce heterogeneity. Survival outcomes and toxicities associated with EBRT were evaluated. Between January 2005 and December 2019, 102 patients in the Non-EBRT group and 26 patients in the EBRT group were evaluated. In the 48 propensity score-matched patients, no significant differences in baseline characteristics between the Non-EBRT and EBRT groups were detected. The locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRRFS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates were significantly higher in the EBRT group compared with the rates in the Non-EBRT group (5y-LRRFS: 100% vs. 74%, p = 0.003, 5y-RFS: 91% vs. 74%, p = 0.035). EBRT was well-tolerated, with no grade ≥ 3 toxicity, and all patients completed the therapy as planned. Adjuvant EBRT plus RAI exhibited acceptable toxicity and improved LRRFS and RFS in patients with PTC with other organ invasions compared with RAI alone.

SRPX2 Promotes Tumor Proliferation and Migration via the FAK Pathway in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma.

Thyroid cancer is the most common form of endocrine cancer around the world, and among which papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most ubiquitous pathological sub-kind. Sushi repeat-containing protein X-linked 2 (SRPX2) was reported to be an independent prognostic factor and significantly overexpressed in advanced PTC patients. However, the biological functions of SRPX2 remain ambiguous in PTC. Here, we explored SRPX2 expression profiles and functions in PTC, finding that SRPX2 expression was remarkably upregulated in PTC tissues and cell lines. Further colony formation, CCK-8, as well as transwell assay, suggested that SRPX2 silencing remarkably dampened PTC growth and migration. Mouse xenograft models were established to find that SRPX2 silence remarkably suppressed PTC proliferation and migration in vivo. Following mechanism studies revealed that SRPX2 realized its functions in the PTC process partially through activating the Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) phosphorylation. In conclusion, this study investigated the functions and mechanisms of the SRPX2/FAK pathway in PTC progression. SRPX2 could act as a prospective biologic signature and therapeutic target molecule for PTC.

Risk factors for recurrence and survival analysis in locally advanced T4a papillary thyroid carcinoma after R0 resection

Objective: To investigate the treatment outcomes and risk factors of postoperative recurrence in T4a papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Methods: A total of 185 patients with locally advanced T4a PTC treated in Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2006 to December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed, including 127 females and 58 males, aged between 18 and 80 years, with 74 patients aged over 55 years. According to AJCC thyroid tumor staging, 111 cases were stage I (T4aN0M0 26 cases, T4aN1aM0 35 cases, and T4aN1bM0 50 cases) and 74 cases were stage Ⅲ (T4aN0M0 29 cases, T4aN1aM0 19 cases, and T4aN1bM0 26 cases). Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the overall survival and the recurrence-free rate, and univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses on the clinical data were performed. Results: Recurrent laryngeal nerve invasion was observed in 150 cases, trachea invasion in 61 cases, esophagus invasion in 30 cases, and laryngeal structure invasion in 10 cases. Postoperative follow-up periods were 24-144 months, with an average of 68.29 months. Of the 185 patients, 18 (9.73%) had recurrences or metastases, including 9 cases (4.86%) died of recurrences or metastases. The 5-year and 10-year overall survival rates were respectively 95.21% and 93.10%. The 5-year and 10-year disease-free survival rates were respectively 89.65% and 86.85%. Univariate analysis showed that age of onset, tumor diameter, preoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy, esophageal invasion and cervical lymph node metastasis were the risk factors for postoperative recurrence of T4a PTC(all P<0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that preoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy (OR=3.27, 95%CI: 1.11-9.61, P=0.032) and lateral cervical lymph node metastasis (OR=4.71, 95%CI: 1.19-18.71, P=0.027) were independent risk factors for T4a PTC recurrence. Survival rate of patients with T4a PTC involving only the recurrent laryngeal nerve or the outer tracheal membrane was significantly better than that of patients with tracheal invasion (P<0.05). Conclusions: T4a PTC patients with R0 resection can still achieve good efficacy. Preoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy and lateral cervical lymph node metastasis are independent risk factor for postoperative recurrence in the patients.

Benign and malignant thyroid nodules with autoimmune thyroiditis.

The prevalence of autoimmune thyroiditis (AT) in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is still controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of coexistence of PTC with AT versus that of the coexistence of benign nodules with AT. This was a cross-sectional retrospective study including patients operated on for thyroid nodules from January 2011, to April 2021. The frequency of papillary carcinomas cooccurring with AT was compared to that of benign nodules cooccurring with AT, which was assessed based on cytopathological diagnosis after thyroidectomy. The study included 668 cases of benign nodules and 420 cases with PTC. No statistically significant difference was observed between cases of benign and PTC nodules regarding the presence of AT (25% vs. 28%, respectively, p = 0.177). The size of the PTC compared to that of the benign predominant nodules was significantly smaller both in the absence (0.96 ± 1.09 cm vs. 2.19 ± 1.06 cm, p < 0.05) and in the presence (0.77 ± 0.76 cm vs. 1.67 ± 1.08 cm, p < 0.01) of AT. In the binary logistic regression analysis of the PTC, the only variable associated with AT was multifocality (odds ratio: 1.750, 95% confidence intervals: 1.131-2.706, p = 0.013). The incidences of lymph node involvement and advanced stage PTC were very low both in the presence and absence of AT. The nodules present with PTC were not more likely to coexist with AT than benign nodules were. The small incidence of advanced PTC indicates a significant improvement in early-stage diagnosis.

Immune Checkpoint Protein Expression Defines the Prognosis of Advanced Thyroid Carcinoma.

BackgroundPatients with advanced thyroid carcinoma (TC), such as anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC), poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma (PDTC), and locally advanced papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), have poor prognoses and require novel treatments. Immune checkpoint (ICP) inhibitors have demonstrated encouraging and good results; nevertheless, their effect in advanced TCs remains largely unclear. Thus, we demonstrated ICP profiles and investigated their potential clinical significance.MethodsA total of 234 TC patients were involved, with 22 ATCs, 44 PDTCs, and 168 PTCs, including 58 advanced PTCs. Immunohistochemistry was performed to evaluate nine ICPs [programmed cell death ligand 1 (PDL1), Programmed cell death 1 (PD1), cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA4), B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA), T-cell immunoglobulin and immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif (ITIM) domain (TIGIT), lymphocyte activation gene 3 (LAG3), V-domain immunoglobulin suppressor of T-cell activation (VISTA), B7 homolog 3 (B7-H3), and T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain- 3 protein (TIM3)] expression via tissue microarrays (TMAs), and clinical correlations were analyzed simultaneously.ResultsATC had the highest positive rate of ICPs among the three pathological types, as well as relatively high ICP co-expression. ATC with high expression of PDL1 positivity had a poor prognosis. Shorter survival was associated with VISTA, B7H3, TIM3, and TIGIT expression in PDTC. The greater the co-expression of these four ICPs, the poorer the prognosis in PDTC patients. VISTA and B7H3 were the two most commonly expressed ICPs in advanced PTC, both of which were linked to a poor prognosis.ConclusionsPDL1 is linked to the overall survival (OS) of ATC. A subset of PDTC is likely immunogenic with poor prognosis and co-expression of VISTA, B7H3, TIM3, and TIGIT. Furthermore, VISTA and B7H3 are prognostic biomarkers in advanced PTC. Single or combined blockade targeting these ICPs might be effective for advanced TCs in the future.

PRDX4 Potentially Predicts the Postoperative Outcome in Advanced Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

Background: Peroxiredoxin 4 (PRDX4), a secreted antioxidant enzyme, can protect against hepatocellular carcinoma and lung adenocarcinoma, but its role in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is still unclear. In this study, we investigated the association of the PRDX4 expression with the prognosis of patients with advanced PTC. Methods: We conducted a retrospective case-control study at Kanazawa Medical University Hospital. We selected PTC patients over 55 years of age who received surgery from 2006 to 2014. The PRDX4 expression was immunohistochemically analyzed in paraffin-embedded tumor specimens of 70 patients with stages Ⅱ–Ⅳ advanced PTC. We also investigated the key roles of PRDX4 in a human PTC cell line (K-1) in vitro. Result: The weak expression of PRDX4 was found to be significantly associated with recurrence. In a multivariate analysis, the weak expression of PRDX4—rather than other pathological features of high invasiveness—predicted a poor prognosis. In vitro, the viability of human PTC cells was significantly suppressed after PRXD4 plasmid transfection. Conclusion: The weak expression of PRDX4 can predict recurrence with a potential poor prognosis in advanced PTC.

Therapeutic Targeting of Advanced Papillary and Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma by ICAM1 Antibody Drug Conjugates

Therapeutic Targeting of Advanced Papillary and Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma by ICAM1 Antibody Drug Conjugates