CD44v8-10 and CD44s Are Age-dependently Expressed in Primary Cultured Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Cells and Are Associated with Cell Proliferation.

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common endocrine malignancy, arising from follicular cells, and accounts for more than 80% of all thyroid malignant tumors. Although age is the strongest prognostic factor of PTC, and various cut-off ages (40-55 years) were suggested in previous studies, the molecular mechanisms causing age-related changes of PTC cell proliferation remain unclear. CD44 is a major cell surface receptor for hyaluronate and is known as a cancer stem cell marker.

Prognostic Impact of the Turin Criteria in Poorly Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma.

Background: The Turin criteria including solid, trabecular, and/or insular architecture, lack of typical nuclear features of papillary carcinoma, and mitoses, necrosis, or convoluted nuclei were adopted in the recent 4th edition of the World Health Organization classification published in 2017.

Materials And Methods: Between 2006 and 2017, 11,001 cases underwent initial surgery for primary malignant thyroid tumor derived from follicular cells. A total of 75 (0.

Calcifications in Thyroid Tumors on Ultrasonography: Calcification Types and Relationship with Histopathological Type.

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to clarify the prevalence of calcifications within thyroid tumors on ultrasonography as well as the relationship between the calcification and histopathological types.

Materials And Methods: Calcifications were classified into 6 (or 8) types according to their shape, size, and region. The prevalence of calcifications and types were investigated in new outpatients and patients who underwent thyroid surgery.

Cribriform-Morular Variant of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma: Clinical and Pathological Features of 30 Cases.

Background: Cribriform-morular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (CMV-PTC) is rare; it may occur in cases of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or be sporadic. To clarify the clinicopathological features of CMV-PTC, the medical records of these patients were investigated retrospectively.

Materials And Methods: Between 1979 and 2016, a total of 17,062 cases with PTC underwent initial surgery at Ito Hospital.

"Nodule in Nodule" on Thyroid Ultrasonography: Possibility of Follicular Carcinoma Transformed from Benign Thyroid Tumor.

Background: It is generally considered impossible to differentiate follicular carcinomas from follicular adenomas by means of ultrasonography or cytology before surgery. Therefore, follicular carcinoma is histopathologically diagnosed by verifying capsular and/or vascular invasion after surgery. However, ultrasonography may play an important role in diagnosing follicular carcinoma preoperatively in a small number of cases.

Frequent BRAF and Absence of TERT Promoter Mutations Characterize Sporadic Pediatric Papillary Thyroid Carcinomas in Japan.

Pediatric papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) has unique features but requires further genetic investigation. Moreover, there has been increasing concern about the risk for pediatric PTC in Japan after the Fukushima accident. This study aims to evaluate the frequencies of BRAF and TERT promoter mutations and to examine their significance in non-radiation-associated pediatric PTCs in Japan.

TERT promoter mutations and Ki-67 labeling index as a prognostic marker of papillary thyroid carcinomas: combination of two independent factors.

Although most papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs) have a good prognosis, a small but certain fraction shows aggressive behavior. Therefore, a novel and well-performing molecular marker is needed. In the present study, we assessed the impact of the combination of the TERT promoter/BRAF mutations and Ki-67 labeling index (LI) as a prognostic marker in PTC patients.

Prognostic impact of Ki-67 labeling index in minimally invasive follicular thyroid carcinoma.

We investigated the prognostic impact of the Ki-67 labeling index (LI) in minimally invasive follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC). We enrolled 192 patients (including four with distant metastasis at diagnosis) who were pathologically diagnosed as having minimally invasive FTC between 1998 and 2007 at Kuma Hospital. When the Ki-67 LI was higher than 5% in the hot area, we regarded it as a high Ki-67 LI.

A Novel Germline Mutation of KEAP1 (R483H) Associated with a Non-Toxic Multinodular Goiter.

Background: A germline mutation of gene was reported as a novel genetic abnormality associated with familial multinodular goiter. That report was limited, and the pathogenic features were not well established.

Patient Findings: We report a 47-year-old Japanese woman who presented with hyperthyroidism and a large multinodular goiter.

Comparison of the costs of active surveillance and immediate surgery in the management of low-risk papillary microcarcinoma of the thyroid.

The incidence of thyroid cancer is increasing rapidly in many countries, resulting in rising societal costs of the care of thyroid cancer. We reported that the active surveillance of low-risk papillary microcarcinoma had less unfavorable events than immediate surgery, while the oncological outcomes of these managements were similarly excellent. Here we calculated the medical costs of these two managements.

Diagnosis and surgical indications of oxyphilic follicular tumors in Japan: Surgical specimens and cytology.

Oxyphilic cell carcinoma is a relatively rare type of differentiated thyroid carcinoma. We investigated the diagnosis of oxyphilic cell carcinoma based on surgical specimens and cytology to elucidate the indications for surgery for oxyphilic tumors. Among 330 patients pathologically diagnosed as having an oxyphilic cell carcinoma or adenoma, the incidence of carcinoma was 21%.

Right-sided aortic arch and aberrant left subclavian artery with or without a left nonrecurrent inferior laryngeal nerve.

Background: In thyroid surgery, preserving the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) is crucial for preventing postoperative phonatory dysfunction. Right nonrecurrent laryngeal nerves (NRLNs) are not particularly rare, and they are vulnerable to injury during surgery. This anomaly is associated with a right aberrant subclavian artery.

Tumor protrusion with intensive blood signals on ultrasonography is a strongly suggestive finding of follicular thyroid carcinoma.

Aim: It is difficult to differentiate follicular carcinomas (FC) from follicular adenomas (FA) because ultrasonography and cytology provide very similar findings. FC is histopathologically diagnosed to have capsular and/or vascular invasion. In a few patients, tumor protrusions are observed by preoperative ultrasonography as large forms of capsular invasion of follicular carcinomas.

Germline RET mutation carriers in Japanese patients with apparently sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma: A single institution experience.

Objective: Genetic testing for RET germline mutation can be useful to distinguish whether a patient with medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is genuinely sporadic or hereditary. Conducting a routine preoperative germline RET genetic screening for all patients with MTC has the clinical benefit, i.e.

Effects of Pregnancy on Papillary Microcarcinomas of the Thyroid Re-Evaluated in the Entire Patient Series at Kuma Hospital.

Background: An active-surveillance clinical trial of low-risk papillary microcarcinoma (PMC) patients has been performed at the authors' institution, Kuma Hospital, since 1993. Favorable oncological results have been reported. During the trial, a few patients were encountered with PMC that showed enlargement during pregnancy, and these cases have been reported.

Characteristic sonographic features of cribriform papillary thyroid carcinoma for differentiation from other thyroid nodules.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to clarify the sonographic features and differential diagnoses of the cribriform variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (CV-PTC).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 24 nodules obtained from 22 CV-PTC cases. As control groups, we chose 50 cases each of conventional papillary carcinoma (C-PTC), follicular tumor, and nodular goiter.

Incidences of Unfavorable Events in the Management of Low-Risk Papillary Microcarcinoma of the Thyroid by Active Surveillance Versus Immediate Surgery.

Background: The incidence of papillary microcarcinoma (PMC) of the thyroid is rapidly increasing globally, making the management of PMC an important clinical issue. Excellent oncological outcomes of active surveillance for low-risk PMC have been reported previously. Here, unfavorable events following active surveillance and surgical treatment for PMC were studied.

Metastatic carcinoma to the thyroid gland from renal cell carcinoma: role of ultrasonography in preoperative diagnosis.

Background: Patients with metastases to the thyroid from renal cell carcinoma (RCC) that need surgical management are not many and unfamiliar to clinicians and thyroid endocrinologists. Therefore, little information is available on ultrasonographic features of metastatic carcinoma in the thyroid. The strategic value of ultrasound in preoperative surgical planning for patients with thyroid nodules has become increasingly appreciated.

Tandem Germline RET Mutations in a Family Pathogenetic for Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia 2B, Confirmed by a Natural Experiment.

A family with germline tandem V804M/Y806C mutations in the RET proto-oncogene was reported. The in vitro study results showing that these mutations were on the same allele and that RET with these mutations had a moderate transforming activity were confirmed by the clinical features of the offspring as a natural experiment. Thus, the tandem double RET mutations are pathogenetic for MEN 2B.

Innervation of the cricothyroid muscle by the recurrent laryngeal nerve.

Background: The recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) and the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve (SLN) are generally thought to innervate the endolaryngeal muscles and the cricothyroid muscle (CTM), respectively. Meticulous anatomic studies found communication between these nerves (ie, the human communicating nerve). In this study, we report the innervation of the CTM by the RLN.

Changes in serum thyroglobulin antibody levels as a dynamic prognostic factor for early-phase recurrence of thyroglobulin antibody-positive papillary thyroid carcinoma after total thyroidectomy.

We demonstrated previously that dynamic prognostic markers such as the thyroglobulin (Tg)-doubling time in thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb)-negative papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and changes in pre- and postoperative TgAb levels in TgAb-positive PTC patients more keenly reflect patients' prognosis than conventional static prognostic factors. Here we investigated periodic changes in TgAb levels in 513 TgAb-positive PTC patients who underwent total thyroidectomy. The TgAb levels at 1 year after surgery decreased to <50% of the preoperative values in 407 (79%) patients, and the remaining 106 (21%) patients showed no decrease in TgAb.

Prognosis and prognostic factors of differentiated thyroid carcinoma after the appearance of metastasis refractory to radioactive iodine therapy.

Differentiated thyroid carcinomas (DTCs) are generally indolent, but few therapeutic strategies are available after a metastatic recurrence that is refractory to radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy. Molecular-target therapy has shown promising results for DTCs with RAI-refractory recurrence. However, not all RAI-refractory recurrences are progressive, and even those that are progressive may not be immediately life-threatening.