HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (3) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Verga, U. Articles by Fugazzola, L. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Verga, U. Articles by Fugazzola, L.

Endocrine Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Milan and Fondazione Policlinico IRCCS, Milan, Italy
¹ Endocrine Surgery Unit, Fondazione Policlinico IRCCS, Milan, Italy
² Pathology Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, University of Milan, Ospedale S Paolo and Fondazione Policlinico IRCCS, Milan, Italy

(Requests for offprints should be addressed to L Fugazzola who is now at Institute of Endocrine Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico IRCCS Pad Granelli, Via Francesco Sforza 35, 20122 Milan Italy; Email: l.fugazzola{at}policlinico.mi.it)

The cut-off values able to differentiate between reactive or neoplastic C-cell hyperplasia (CCH) or to predict sporadic medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) are still debated both for basal and stimulated calcitonin (bCT and sCT). In the present study, the prevalence and the histological patterns of CCH in 15 patients with multinodular goiter (MNG), bCT>10 pg/ml and sCT levels >50 pg/ml were studied. As controls, 16 patients with MNG and bCT levels <10 pg/ml and 4 patients with familial (FMTC) were included. For each case, calcitonin (CT) immunoreactive cells were counted in 60 consecutive high-power fields (400x) and CCH classified as focal, diffuse, nodular, or neoplastic. RET genetic analyses were performed at the germline and tissue levels in MTC and CCH cases. In patients with MNG, sCT levels >50 pg/ml were associated with CCH or MTC, being the total number of C-cells/60 fields significantly higher than that found in MNG with normal bCT (P = 0.0008) and comparable with that detected in FMTCs. In the group with sCT>50 pg/ml, the C-cells displayed a neoplastic phenotype. Neither germline nor somatic RET mutations were found. In conclusion, sCT levels >50 pg/ml were always associated with CCH, without correlation between CT levels and the number of C-cells or the final diagnosis. The C-cells had a morphology and distribution pattern similar to those observed in FMTC. Thus, sCT levels >50 pg/ml indicate the presence of CCH with a possible preneoplastic potential, suggesting the opportunity to perform a prophylactic surgical treatment.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D. J. Drucker, S. I. Sherman, F. S. Gorelick, R. M. Bergenstal, R. S. Sherwin, and J. B. Buse Incretin-Based Therapies for the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes: Evaluation of the Risks and Benefits Diabetes Care, February 1, 2010; 33(2): 428 - 433. [Full Text] [PDF]

				C Scheuba, K Kaserer, A Moritz, R Drosten, H Vierhapper, C Bieglmayer, O A Haas, and B Niederle Sporadic hypercalcitoninemia: clinical and therapeutic consequences Endocr. Relat. Cancer, March 1, 2009; 16(1): 243 - 253. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L Foppiani, F Forzano, I Ceccherini, W Bruno, P Ghiorzo, F Caroli, P Quilici, R Bandelloni, A Arlandini, G Sartini, et al. Uncommon association of germline mutations of RET proto-oncogene and CDKN2A gene Eur. J. Endocrinol., March 1, 2008; 158(3): 417 - 422. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]