European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

CANCER ASSOCIATED FIBROBLASTS IN PAPILLARY THYROID CARCINOMA-AN IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDY

Lakshmipriya P., Dr. Lilarani Vijayaraghavan and Sreedevi A. R.*

ABSTRACT

Papillary thyroid carcinoma is the most common histological type of thyroid cancer. Fibroblasts and myofibroblasts are the main connective tissue cells that collaborate with tumour cells, which produces all extracellular connective matrix elements and synthesizing and secreting growth factors. The change occurring in fibroblast phenotype and activity, their transformation from normal fibroblasts to tumour fibroblasts (referred to as carcinoma associated fibroblasts), appears to occur in the initial stages of carcinogenesis. In papillary thyroid carcinoma, cancer-associated fibroblasts are a risk factor for lymph node metastasis. The present study aimed to investigate the presence of cancer associated fibroblasts in papillary thyroid carcinoma patients using immunohistochemical markers CD 34 and Alpha smooth muscle actin. This will be beneficial for patients with cancer associated fibroblasts as they can receive targeted therapy. 80 thyroidectomy specimens received in the department of pathology which were diagnosed as PTC during the study period were included in this study. Immunohistochemical staining for CD 34 and Alpha Smooth Muscle Actin were done and their expression were studied.66 percent of the cases showed CD 34 positivity and 56 percent showed Alpha Smooth Muscle Actin positivity. This study concluded that both CD 34 and Alpha Smooth Muscle Actin can be used together as markers of cancer associated fibroblasts which can serve as target for drug therapy in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma.

Keywords: Papillary thyroid carcinoma, cancer associated fibroblasts, CD 34, Alpha Smooth Muscle Actin.