Endocrine Abstracts

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN 2) is characterized by the presence of medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) and other benign pathologies. RET mutations are responsible of this disease and their screening is a very sensitive tool for the identification of gene carriers (GC).Aim of this study was to verify the relevance of the basal and pentagastrin (Pg) stimulated serum calcitonin (CT) in the decision to perform TT in GC. We reviewed data of 65 GC foun...

Germline point mutations of the RET proto-oncogene are causative of hereditary MTC. Somatic mutations are described in 40% of sporadic MTCs. Although a relationship between somatic mutations and bad prognosis has been described, data are controversial.No date on the prognostic value of RET polymorphisms are available.Aim of the work was to verify if the presence of a somatic RET mutation and or a polymorphisms can influence the prognosis of MTC. This stu...

Although 20% of follicular neoplasms are papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), their cytological diagnosis is not diagnostic. A different profile of gene expression between malignant and benign thyroid tumors has been reported. Aim of this study was to identify a gene expression profile to be used in distinguishing malignant from benign thyroid neoplasms. By real-time RT-PCR we analyzed mRNA expression of 6 thyroid differentiation genes (TTF-1, PAX8, TPO, TSHr, NIS and Tg) and 5 ...

Up to now there isn’t any study to validate the CT measurement in wash-out-fluid from FNAB in the diagnosis of medullary thyroid cancer (MTC). To demonstrate the usefulness of CT measurement in wash-out fluid from FNAB in thyroid nodules, we have retrospectively analyzed 25 cases with detectable serum CT in which CT measurement in wash-out-fluid from FNAB, citology and histological examination were available. In 7 cases CT level was <10 pg/ml: cytology was negative in...