GALECTIN-3 THE STAND- ALONE MARKER IN DIFFERENTIATING BENIGN AND MALIGNANT THYROID NEOPLASM

Pallavi Majumdar; Mallika Pal

Volume : VIII, Issue : III, March - 2019

GALECTIN-3 THE STAND- ALONE MARKER IN DIFFERENTIATING BENIGN AND MALIGNANT THYROID NEOPLASM

Pallavi Majumdar, Mallika Pal

Abstract :

INTRODUCTION: Thyroid carcinoma is the most common endocrine malignancy. FNACs are the initial diagnostic test for presurgical evaluation of all the thyroid lesions. Thyroid tumor with overlapping cytomorphology poses great diagnostic challenge even on histopathology. Galectin–3 represents the most accurate stand alone immuno–histochemical (IHC) marker to differentiate benign and malignant thyroid neoplasm. AIM: The study aims to analyze the concordance between cytological and histological diagnosis of thyroid neoplasm. We will analyze Gal–3 expression in differentiating benign and malignant thyroid neoplasm and in predicting tumor metastatic potential. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Concordance between cytological and histological diagnosis of thyroid neoplasm in collaboration with sonological features were assessed. Gal–3 scoring was done according to standard immunoperoxidase technique. RESULTS: All the malignant cases had diffuse Gal–3 positivity. Benign lesions excepting two cases were negative for Gal–3. All the metastatic lesions had peripheral Gal–3 over expression compared to non metastatic lesions that did not have peripheral Gal–3 over expression. CONCLUSION: Gal–3 is an useful marker to differentiate benign and malignant thyroid neoplasm. Peripheral Gal–3 over expression is associated with increased tumor metastatic potential. Targeted therapy against Gal–3 can positively impact the current management of thyroid neoplastic diseases