TY - JOUR
T1 - Increased density of tumor-associated macrophages is associated with decreased survival in advanced thyroid cancer
AU - Ryder, Mabel
AU - Ghossein, Ronald A.
AU - Ricarte-Filho, Julio C.M.
AU - Knauf, Jeffrey A.
AU - Fagin, James A.
PY - 2008/12
Y1 - 2008/12
N2 - Thyroid cancers are infiltrated with tumor-associated macrophages (TAMS), yet their role in cancer progression is not known. The objectives of this study were to characterize the density of TAMs in well-differentiated (WDTC), poorly differentiated (PDTC), and anaplastic thyroid cancers (ATC) and to correlate TAM density with clinicopathologic parameters. Immunohistochemistry was performed on tissue microarray sections from WIDTC (n=33), PDTC (n=37), and ATC (n=20) using macrophage-specific markers. Electronic medical records were used to gather clinical and pathologic data. Follow-up information of PDTC patients was available for 0-12 years. In total, 9 out of 33 WDTC (27%), 20 out of 37 PDTC (54%), and 19 out of 20 ATC (95%) had an increased density of CD68+ TAMs (≥ 10 per 0.28 MM2; WDTC versus PDTC, P=0.03; WDTC versus ATC, P<0.0001; PIDTC versus ATC, P<0.002). Increased TAMs in PDTC was associated with capsular invasion (P=0.034), extrathyroidal extension (P=0.009), and decreased cancer-related survival (P=0.009) compared with PDTC with a low density of TAMs. In conclusion, the density of TAMs is increased in advanced thyroid cancers. The presence of a high density of TAMs in PDTC correlates with invasion and decreased cancer-related survival. These results suggest that TAMs may facilitate tumor progression. As novel therapies directed against thyroid tumor cell-specific targets are being tested, the potential role of TAMs as potential modulators of the thyroid cancer behavior will need to be considered.
AB - Thyroid cancers are infiltrated with tumor-associated macrophages (TAMS), yet their role in cancer progression is not known. The objectives of this study were to characterize the density of TAMs in well-differentiated (WDTC), poorly differentiated (PDTC), and anaplastic thyroid cancers (ATC) and to correlate TAM density with clinicopathologic parameters. Immunohistochemistry was performed on tissue microarray sections from WIDTC (n=33), PDTC (n=37), and ATC (n=20) using macrophage-specific markers. Electronic medical records were used to gather clinical and pathologic data. Follow-up information of PDTC patients was available for 0-12 years. In total, 9 out of 33 WDTC (27%), 20 out of 37 PDTC (54%), and 19 out of 20 ATC (95%) had an increased density of CD68+ TAMs (≥ 10 per 0.28 MM2; WDTC versus PDTC, P=0.03; WDTC versus ATC, P<0.0001; PIDTC versus ATC, P<0.002). Increased TAMs in PDTC was associated with capsular invasion (P=0.034), extrathyroidal extension (P=0.009), and decreased cancer-related survival (P=0.009) compared with PDTC with a low density of TAMs. In conclusion, the density of TAMs is increased in advanced thyroid cancers. The presence of a high density of TAMs in PDTC correlates with invasion and decreased cancer-related survival. These results suggest that TAMs may facilitate tumor progression. As novel therapies directed against thyroid tumor cell-specific targets are being tested, the potential role of TAMs as potential modulators of the thyroid cancer behavior will need to be considered.
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U2 - 10.1677/ERC-08-0036
DO - 10.1677/ERC-08-0036
M3 - Article
C2 - 18719091
AN - SCOPUS:56649101166
SN - 1351-0088
VL - 15
SP - 1069
EP - 1074
JO - Endocrine-Related Cancer
JF - Endocrine-Related Cancer
IS - 4
ER -