ObjectiveTo investigate the expressions of chemokine receptor CXCR4 and CCR7 in thyroid cancer and its clinicopathologic significance. MethodsFifty-five patients with thyroid cancer were selected in the Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College from 2006 to 2009, and 30 patients with thyroid adenoma were selected in the same hospital during 2009. The expressions of CXCR4 and CCR7 were detected in all the selected cases samples (including thyroid cancer and thyroid adenoma) by immunohistochemical SP technique. ResultsThe positive expression rates of CXCR4 and CCR7 in the thyroid cancer were higher than those in the thyroid adenoma (Plt;0.01), which in the thyroid cancer with clinical stage Ⅲ+Ⅳ were higher than those of the clinical stage Ⅰ+Ⅱ (Plt;0.05). The positive expression rate of CCR7 in the thyroid cancer with lymph node metastasis was higher than that of the thyroid cancer without lymph node metastasis (Plt;0.05), which of CXCR4 in the patients with thyroid cancer was independent of lymph node metastasis (Pgt;0.05), and which of CXCR4 and CCR7 were also independent of the age and gender of the patients with thyroid cancer (Pgt;0.05). The positive expressions of CCR7 and CXCR4 in all the patients with thyroid cancer was positively correlated (rs=0.491, P=0.000). ConclusionsCXCR4 and CCR7 are involved in the coordination of thyroid cancer progression. They can be used as prognostic indicators of thyroid cancer. High expression of CCR7 is prone to lymph node metastasis of thyroid cancer.
Objective To explore the expression of chemokine receptor CCR7 in thyroid papillary microcarcinoma tissues and the relationship with clinicopathological features. Methods The CCR7 expressions in 31 cases of thyroid papillary microcarcinoma, 34 cases of thyroid papillary carcinoma which diameter＞1cm, 34 cases of nodular goiter, and 12 cases of thyroid papillary microcarcinoma contralateral normal thyroid tissues were detected by using immunohistochemistry S-P method. Results The expression positive rates of CCR7 in thyroid papillary microcarcinoma and papillary thyroid carcinoma which diameter＞ 1cm were both 100%, the difference had not statistically significant （P＞0.05）. In nodular goiter and normal thyroid tissues, the expression positive rate of CCR7 was 64.7% and 33.3%, respectively, and compared with thyroid papillary microcarcinoma, the difference had statistically significant （P＜0.05）. There were not relations between the expression of CCR7 and patient’s gender, age, capsule invasion, and lymph node metastasis （P＞0.05）. Conclusions The CCR7 in thyroid papillary microcarcinoma and thyroid papillary carcinoma which diameter＞ 1cm are both high expressions, and have the same bionomics, both prone to cervical lymph node meta-stasis, and the radical neck dissection （central area） are both need to take.