NEURAL CELL-ADHESION MOLECULE EXPRESSION IN THYROID-CANCER - A CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL STUDY

Neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) is an integral membrane glycoprot ein that participates in cell-cell interactions. We examined the expre ssion of neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) by immunohistochemistry in 65 cases of thyroid disease. In the majority of thyroid tumors, NCA M expression was detected in tumor cells. In chronic thyroiditis, Hurt hle cells demonstrated expression of NCAM. In normal thyroid gland, ne ither follicular nor parafollicular cells expressed NCAM at detectable levels. All papillary carcinomas and most poorly differentiated folli cular carcinomas and some follicular adenomas demonstrated NCAM expres sion. In thyroid carcinoma, clinical stage and recurrent laryngeal ner ve paralysis did not correlate significantly with expression of NCAM. Papillary carcinomas with strong expression of NCAM were more likely t o have extra capsular invasion. It is supposed that immunohistochemica l detection of NCAM expression supports histologic diagnosis and offer s prognostic information.