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Endocrine Abstracts (2022) 84 PS2-08-75 | DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.84.PS2-08-75

ETA2022 Poster Presentations Thyroid Cancer BASIC (10 abstracts)

PD-L1 and MCL-1 markers and the relationship with prognostic characteristics of differentiated thyroid carcinoma

Denise Engelbrecht Zantut Wittmann 1 , Icleia Siqueira Barreto 2 , Ana Carolina Laus 3 , Daniel Moreno 4 , Camila Moma 5 , Frederico Maia 6 , Ligia Vera Montalli Assumpcao 7 & Rui Reis 8


1Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas-Unicamp, Endocrinology Division, Department of Clinical Medicine, Campinas, Brazil; 2Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil; 3Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos-Sp, Brazil, Barretos, Brazil; 4Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos-Sp, Brazil; 5State University of Campinas, Endocrinology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Endocrinology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil; 6Endocrinology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil; 7Division of Endocrinology, University of Campinas, Endocrinology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sáo Paulo, Brazil; 8Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (Icvs), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal, Barretos, Brazil


Objectives: MCL-1 and PD-L1 proteins are related to carcinogenesis mechanisms in differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). Tumor antigens stimulate the expression of PD-1 in immune cells, which binds to PD-L1 of tumor cells, inducing immune escape from the tumor. MCL-1, an anti-apoptotic member of the BCL-2 family and has a high oncogenic potential. The relationship of these markers with prognosis in DTC remains unknown. We aim to evaluate the clinical utility of immunohistochemical expression (IHC) of markers MCL-1 and PD-L1 in DTC and to investigate its relevance in the long-term prognosis.

Methods: 120 patients with DTC after total thyroidectomy and radioiodine therapy followed for a minimum of 2 years after complete treatment were included. Demographic features, tumors histopathological characteristics, initial risk classification of persistence/recurrence, factors associated with outcome, initial response to therapy, persistence or disease-free at the end of follow-up were evaluated. These data were related to IHC expression of MCL-1 and PD-L1 and presence of BRAFV600E mutation.

Results: Among the patients, 100(83.33%) were women and 20 men, age at diagnosis 46.64±16.73 years; 37 (30.8%) patients were at high risk, 45(37.5%) of intermediate risk and 38(31.7%) of low risk of disease recurrence/persistence. At the end of follow-up, 65(57.5%) were disease-free and 48(42.5%) had persistent disease. The largest tumor diameter was 2.99±1.79 cm; 103(85.8%) patients had papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and 17(14.2%) had follicular thyroid carcinoma (CFT), with a follow-up time of 124.86±65.36 months. BRAF V600E mutation was detected in 49 (59.8%) patients and absent in 33(40.2%). Strong/moderate expression of PD-L1 was associated to tall cell variant PTC (P=0.0274). Strong MCL-1 expression was associated with the presence of the BRAF V600E mutation (P = 0.0468); and weak expression of MCL-1 was associated with multifocality (P = 0.0290). No patients with CFT presented weak MCL-1 expression, and all tumors with weak expression were PTC (P = 0.0409).

Conclusions: PDL-1, marker of higher proliferation and progress of tumor cells was associated with more aggressive PTC variant. The anti-apoptotic marker MCL-1 was associated with CDT carrying the BRAFV600E mutation. Additionally, lower anti-apoptotic marker expression was related to multifocal and papillary thyroid cancer. Additional studies are needed to confirm the possible role of these markers in the tumorigenesis and evolution of DTC.

Volume 84

44th Annual Meeting of the European Thyroid Association (ETA) 2022

Brussels, Belgium
10 Sep 2022 - 13 Sep 2022

European Thyroid Association 

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