Immunohistochemical expression of CD44v6 in differentiated thyroid carcinomas

Peer review under responsibility of Alexandria University Faculty of Medicine.

Available online 24 May 2012

Figures & data

Table 1 CD44v6 immunoreactivity in the malignant and non-malignant cases.

	CD44v6				Total		FEp
	−ve		+ve
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
Malignant							0.006^*
Papillary carcinoma	4	16.7	20	3.3	24	100.0
Follicular carcinoma	2	33.3	4	66.7	6	100.0
Non-malignant lesion
Follicular adenoma	3	100.0	0	0.00	3	100.0
Hashimoto's thyroiditis	2	66.7	1	33.3	3	100.0
Multi nodular goiter	2	50.0	2	50.0	4	100.0

FEp: p value for Fisher Exact test.

* Statistically significant at p ⩽ 0.05

Figure 1 (A) Conventional (classic) PTC showing intense membranous immunopositivity, (CD44v6, ×400). (B) Follicular variant of PTC showing follicles with strong membranous immunostaining, (CD44v6, ×200). (C) Encapsulated variant of PTC, score 3; with capsular fibroblast serving as positive internal control, (CD44v6, ×100). (D) Columnar cell variant of PTC, score 3, (CD44v6, ×100). (E) Higher power of the previous case showing strong cytoplasmic membrane immunoreactivity (CD44v6, ×400).

Table 2 CD44v6 immunoreactivity in the different subtypes of PTC.

	CD44v6								Total
	0		1+		2+		3+
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
Conventional papillary thyroid carcinoma	0	0.0	2	8.3	3	12.5	3	12.5	8	33.3
Micro Papillary carcinoma of the thyroid	3	12.5	2	8.3	0	0.0	1	4.2	6	25.0
Follicular variant papillary thyroid carcinoma	1	4.2	0	0.0	2	8.3	4	16.7	7	29.2
Encapsulated papillary thyroid carcinoma	0	0.0	0	0.0	0	0.0	2	8.3	2	8.3
Papillary thyroid carcinoma columnar cell type	0	0.0	0	0.0	0	0.0	1	4.2	1	4.2
Total	4	16.7	4	16.7	5	20.8	11	45.8	24	100.0
MCp			0.464^*

MCp: p value for Monte Carlo test.

* Statistically significant at p ⩽ 0.05

Figure 2 Scatter plot for the relation between CD44v6 and largest tumor size among papillary thyroid carcinoma cases. Rho = 0.536^*, p = 0.007; R = 0.561, R2 = 0.314 CD44v6 = 0.734 + 0.515 × largest tumor size t = 3.175^*, p = 0.004.

Figure 3 Scatter plot for the relation between CD44v6 and smallest tumor size among papillary thyroid carcinoma cases. Rho = 0.633^*, p = 0.001; R = 0.576, R2 = 0.332, CD44v6 = 0.619 + 0.714 × smallest tumor size, t = 3.304^*, p = 0.003.

Figure 4 (A) Follicular thyroid carcinoma, score 3, (CD44v6, ×200). The inset highlights the membranous staining (CD44v6, ×1000). (B) Hürthle cell carcinoma, score 3 (CD44v6, ×200), and the inset demonstrates the positive membrane staining (CD44v6, ×400).

Figure 5 (A) Microfollicular adenoma negative for CD44v6 (CD44v6, ×200). The inset demonstrates negative staining of neoplastic thyroid follicles, (CD44v6, ×1000). (B) Hürthle cell adenoma, negative for CD44v6, (×200), with absence of the membramous staining in neoplastic cells seen in the inset, (CD44v6, ×1000). (C) Multinodular goiter, score 2, (CD44v6, ×200). (D) Hashimoto's thyroiditis, showing focal moderate to strong immunoreactivity of the Hürthle cells, score 1 (CD44v6×100), that is highlighted in the inset (CD44v6, ×400).