Balkan Med J. 2015 Jan;32(1):30-7. doi: 10.5152/balkanmedj.2015.15547. Epub 2015 Jan 01.

Imp3 expression in benign and malignant thyroid tumors and hyperplastic nodules.

Balkan medical journal

Sezer Kulaçoğlu, Gamze Erkılınç

PMID: 25759769 PMCID: PMC4342135 DOI: 10.5152/balkanmedj.2015.15547

Abstract

BACKGROUND: IMP3, a member of insulin-like growth factor II m RNA binding protein family, seems to be promising in the diagnosis of carcinomas of many organs as well as malignant melanomas and some sarcomas. It is postulated that it might be a marker of malignancy. The results of the few prior studies indicate that IMP3 has the potential to be useful in distinguishing benign and malignant tumors of thyroid.

AIMS: We aimed to evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of IMP3 in non-neoplastic nodules and benign and malignant tumors of the thyroid.

STUDY DESIGN: Diagnostic accuracy study.

METHODS: Overall, 92 thyroid lesions, including 22 nodular hyperplasia (NH), 14 follicular adenoma (FA), 9 follicular carcinoma (FC), 37 papillary carcinoma (PC) (15 follicular variant), 3 well differentiated carcinoma-not otherwise specified (WDC-NOS), 4 poorly differentiated carcinoma (PDC) and anaplastic carcinoma (AC) were included. Immunohistochemically, cytoplasmic expression of IMP3 was evaluated in terms of extent and intensity of the staining semi-quantitatively and an immunohistochemical score (IHS) was obtained for each case. A score higher than 2 was considered positive staining.

RESULTS: In contrast with previous studies, we observed positive staining in benign lesions, especially in benign tumors. For identifying malignant tumors, the sensitivity of IMP3 was 82.1%, specificity was 33.3%, positive predictive value (PPV) was 65.7% and negative predictive value (NPV) was 54.5%. In distinguishing neoplastic and hyperplastic lesions, the sensitivity was 50%, specificity was 15.7%, PPV was 15.7% and NPV was 50%. The IMP3 expression was similar for FA and well differentiated carcinomas (p=0.434), but there was a significant difference between hyperplastic nodules and FA (p=0.011).

CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that IMP3 is effective in discriminating hyperplastic and neoplastic lesions but not useful in differentiating benign tumors from malignant tumors.

Keywords: IMP3; Immunohistochemistry; thyroid; tumor

References

1. Clin Cancer Res. 2008 Mar 15;14(6):1701-6 - PubMed
2. Histopathology. 2005 Oct;47(4):391-401 - PubMed
3. Mol Cell Biol. 1999 Feb;19(2):1262-70 - PubMed
4. Clin Cancer Res. 2008 Sep 1;14(17):5640; author reply 5640-1 - PubMed
5. Oncogene. 2012 Nov 1;31(44):4689-97 - PubMed
6. Scand J Clin Lab Invest Suppl. 2001;234:93-9 - PubMed
7. Hum Pathol. 2010 Sep;41(9):1355-6; author reply 1356-7 - PubMed
8. Hepatology. 2008 Oct;48(4):1118-27 - PubMed
9. Pathology. 2005 Aug;37(4):296-8 - PubMed
10. Mod Pathol. 2007 Feb;20(2):242-7 - PubMed
11. Lancet Oncol. 2006 Jul;7(7):556-64 - PubMed
12. J Biol Chem. 2005 May 6;280(18):18517-24 - PubMed
13. Endocr Pathol. 2009 Fall;20(3):149-57 - PubMed
14. Mech Dev. 1999 Oct;88(1):95-9 - PubMed
15. Chin Med J (Engl). 2010 Dec;123(24):3554-8 - PubMed
16. Am J Clin Pathol. 2001 Nov;116(5):696-702 - PubMed
17. Expert Rev Mol Diagn. 2008 Sep;8(5):557-8 - PubMed
18. Ann Surg Oncol. 2009 Dec;16(12):3499-506 - PubMed
19. Diagn Pathol. 2012 Aug 13;7:97 - PubMed
20. Am J Clin Pathol. 2006 Nov;126(5):700-8 - PubMed
21. Diagn Mol Pathol. 2010 Jun;19(2):63-9 - PubMed
22. Mod Pathol. 2010 Sep;23(9):1269-78 - PubMed
23. Histopathology. 2004 Nov;45(5):493-500 - PubMed
24. Diagn Pathol. 2012 Nov 28;7:165 - PubMed
25. Oncol Res. 2008;17(6):269-72 - PubMed
26. Am J Surg Pathol. 2005 Feb;29(2):188-95 - PubMed
27. Hum Pathol. 2012 Oct;43(10):1567-72 - PubMed
28. Mod Pathol. 2009 Mar;22(3):469-75 - PubMed
29. Br J Cancer. 2003 Mar 10;88(5):699-701 - PubMed
30. Mod Pathol. 2007 Dec;20(12):1263-8 - PubMed

Publication Types

• Journal Article