alcian-blue and Goiter

Alcian blue pH 2.5 and Leu 7 reactivities were tested in biopsy samples of thyroid neoplastic and non-neoplastic diseases (n = 30). Typical papillary carcinomas exhibited marked positivity in the apical zone of thyrocytes, but the negativity of most cases of follicular variants of papillary carcinoma and positivity found in the toxic goitres and exceptionally also in the follicular adenoma makes alcian blue of nearly no value for the differential diagnosis on cytodiagnostic level. The Leu 7 immunohistochemistry was specific for papillary carcinomas but with a very low sensitivity. Thus, its cytodiagnostic use would be not cost effective.

Topics: Alcian Blue; Biomarkers, Tumor; Carcinoma, Papillary; CD57 Antigens; Diagnosis, Differential; Goiter; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Sensitivity and Specificity; Staining and Labeling; Thyroid Neoplasms

Immunohistochemistry for epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) and histochemistry for alcianophilic substances were performed in 17 cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and 11 cases of benign thyroid lesions showing papillary changes (7 diffuse hyperplastic goitres-Graves' disease; 4 colloid cystic goitres). In all PTCs the glycocalix of the cells lining the papillary structures was strongly positive with anti-EMA antiserum. Alcian blue pH 2.5 stain (AB 2.5) was also positive in 15 of these cases. In contrast, no cases of benign thyroid lesions showed AB 2.5 positivity in the cells lining the papillary structures and the positivity with anti-EMA antiserum, present in only 5 out the 11 cases, was focal and very weak. These results indicate that the presence and distribution of EMA and alcianophilic substances may be useful in distinguishing benign from malignant thyroid lesions containing papillae.

Topics: Alcian Blue; Biomarkers; Carcinoma, Papillary; Goiter; Graves Disease; Humans; Membrane Glycoproteins; Mucin-1; Thyroid Neoplasms