Clinicopathologic and prognostic significance of the expression of mucins,simple mucin antigens and histo-blood group antigens in papillary thyroid carcinoma

We have previously analyzed the expression of MUC1, underglycosylated MUC1, MUC2, MUC5AC, Tn, sialyl Tn, Lewis(a), sialyl Lewis(a), Lewis(x), and sial yl Lewis(x) in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). The present study of 26 t horoughly scrutinized cases of PTC with "good " or "bad outcome" and a mini mum of 10 yr of follow-up (or until death of the patients) was undertaken i n an attempt to find if there is any relationship between the expression of the aforementioned antigens and the clinicopathologic and morphologic feat ures of the cases and to evaluate the prognostic significance of the immuno histochemical pattern of PTC. We observed a significant or suggestive assoc iation between the expression of MUC1, underglycosylated MUC1, MUC2, Lewis( a), and Lewis(x) and the older age of the patients, and a suggestive associ ation between Lewis(x) expression and lymph node metastasis and venous inva sion. There was also a strong correlation between extrathyroid invasion, ly mph node metastasis, intrathyroid dissemination, and venous invasion and pa tients outcome thus demonstrating, once more, the prominence of the classic clinicopathologic and morphologic features in the prognostic evaluation of PTC. The immunohistochemical study of mucins, simple mucin antigens, and h isto-blood group antigens did not provide additional prognostic information , but for the significant association of Lewis(x) immunoreactivity to the g roup of "bad outcome."