Cancer Res Treat.  2021 Oct;53(4):1204-1212. 10.4143/crt.2020.1201.

Expression of Estrogen and Progesterone Receptors in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma in Korea

• Ahn HY
• Song RY
• Ahn HS
• Kim HS

• KMID: 2521595
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4143/crt.2020.1201

Abstract

Purpose
The aim of this study was to examine the rate of expression of estrogen receptor α (ERα) and β1 (ERβ1), progesterone receptor (PR), and rate of overexpression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in a relatively large cohort of patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). We also aimed to examine whether each receptor influenced clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of PTC.
Materials and Methods
We made a microarray of paraffin-embedded PTC surgical tissues from 436 patients. We compared the results of the immunohistochemical staining for each hormone receptor with clinicopathological characteristics.
Results
The positive expression rate of hormonal receptors was 40.4% for ERα, 83.7% for ERβ1, and 71.3% for PR in patients with PTC. Overexpression of EGFR was shown in 19.3% of patients with PTC. The age was lower (44.6±12.1 years vs. 47.1±12.5 years, p=0.040) and tumor smaller (0.96±0.69 cm vs. 1.13±0.82 cm, p=0.020) in the ERα positive group, which also showed higher PR positivity (80.7% vs. 65.0%, p < 0.001) and overexpression of EGFR (27.3% vs. 13.8%, p < 0.001). However, neither the positivity of hormone receptors nor overexpression of EGFR affected the recurrence of PTC.
Conclusion
In conclusion, most (94.6%) patients with PTC were found to exhibit positive expression for ERs or PR. We also found that neither the positive expression of hormone receptors nor overexpression of EGFR were associated with the recurrence of PTC.

Keyword

Papillary thyroid carcinoma; Estrogen receptor; Progesterone receptor; Epidermal growth factor receptor

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Immunohistochemical staining of estrogen receptor (ER) α, ERβ1, progesterone receptor (PR), and epidermal growth factor (EGFR) in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) lesions. Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded PTC tissue sections were stained using the Ventana Benchmark ULTRA automated staining system with specific antibodies. (A) Normal thyroid tissue with negative ERα staining. (B) PTC tissue with negative ERα staining. (C) PTC tissue with weak positive ERα staining. (D) PTC tissue with intermediate positive ERα staining. (E) PTC tissue with strong positive ERα staining. (F) Normal thyroid tissue with negative ERβ1 staining. (G) PTC tissue with negative ERβ1 staining. (H) PTC tissue with weak positive ERβ1 staining. (I) PTC tissue with intermediate positive ERβ1 staining. (J) PTC tissue with strong positive ERβ1 staining. (K) Normal thyroid tissue with negative PR staining. (L) PTC tissue with negative PR staining. (M) PTC tissue with weak positive PR staining. (N) PTC tissue with intermediate positive PR staining. (O) PTC tissue with strong positive PR staining. (P) Normal thyroid tissue with negative EGFR staining. (Q) PTC tissue with negative EGFR staining. (R) PTC tissue with weak positive EGFR staining. (S) PTC tissue with intermediate positive EGFR staining. (T) PTC tissue with strong positive EGFR staining (A–T, ×200).

• 

  Fig. 2 Venn diagram of the positive rates of estrogen receptors (ERs) and progesterone receptor (PR). The distribution was confirmed in 429 patients except for seven patients whose ER β1 status was not available.

Reference

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