Diagnostic management of suspected metastatic thyroid carcinoma: clinical value of octreotide scintigraphy in patients with negative high-dose radioiodine scans.

Objectives: Somatostatin receptor scintigraphy (SRS) with (111)In-octreotide has been suggested as a potential tool for the detection of recurrent or metastatic differentiated thyroid cancer when no radioiodine uptake can be demonstrated in tumour sites. However, there is no consensus concerning the performance and clinical impact of this examination in such instances.

Design And Methods: A prospective study was undertaken to evaluate SRS in 43 patients (18 men, 25 women) with papillary (n=20), follicular (n=9), insular (n=6) and oncocytic (n=8) thyroid carcinomas with elevated serum thyroglobulin (Tg) levels and no detected radioiodine uptake.

Is [18F]-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (FDG) scintigraphy with non-dedicated positron emission tomography useful in the diagnostic management of suspected metastatic thyroid carcinoma in patients with no detectable radioiodine uptake?

Objective: Dedifferentiation of thyroid cancer leads to an inability of thyroid cells to concentrate iodine. In these cases, imaging methods that allow an accurate detection of recurrence and/or metastases at an early stage are essential for an adequate management of patients. Positron emission tomography using [18F]-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose and a dedicated (dPET-FDG) or non-dedicated (nPET-FDG) camera has been suggested as a potential tool for the detection of tumour foci.

Expression, regulation, and function of alpha V integrins in hepatocellular carcinoma: an in vivo and in vitro study.

The expression of alpha V integrins by neoplastic cells contributes to the promotion of local invasion and metastasis. The most characteristic extracellular ligands of alpha V integrins are vitronectin and fibronectin. Hepatocytes are the main source of vitronectin, and the capacity to synthesize and secrete vitronectin is usually retained in hepatocellular carcinoma.