Neuroendocrine differentiation in follicle-cell thyroid carcinoma: Correlation to prognostic factors in papillary carcinoma

The presence of NE-differentiation in the follicle-cell thyroid carcinoma h as been investigated by immunohistochemical detection of chromogranin A in the neoplastic cells. It has been found that NE-differentiation was present in a significant percentage in the papillary Ca alone (46.60%) whereas all Huerthle-cell neoplasms and the large majority of follicular and undiffere ntiated carcinomas showed non reactivity for Chromogranin A. Moreover, we h ave correlated the presence of NE-differentiation to well known prognostic factors in papillary Ca. We found a statistically significant correlation b etween the neuroendocrine differentiation and some unfavourable factors suc h as old age of the patient, size of the tumor, invasion of thyroid capsule and lymphnode involvement. We suggested that NE-differentiation could be c onsidered as an index of poor prognosis.