Density of tumor-associated macrophages correlates with lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) have recently been recognized as being important players in the tumoriogenesis of many cancers, including advanced thyroid cancer. However, a role in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), the most prevalent thyroid cancer, has not been established. We hypothesized that TAMs also facilitate tumor progression in PTC.

Methods

We investigated TAMs density in both benign thyroid lesions and PTC tumors by CD68 immunostaining. CD68-positive cell density was further associated with the clinicopathological characteristics of PTC patients. Finally, TAMs were isolated from PTC tumors and phenotyped by cytokine and receptor profiling.

Results

The overall density of TAMs was found to be significantly higher in PTC tumors, compared with t

SUBMITTER: Qing W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3429273 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature