pmTOR is a marker of aggressiveness in papillary thyroid carcinomas

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2016

Authors

Tavares, C (Author) Other; Coelho, MJ (Author) Other; Melo, M (Author) Other; da Rocha, AG (Author) Other; Pestana, A (Author) Other; Batista, R (Author) Other; Salgado, C (Author) Other; Eloy, C (Author) Other; Ferreira, L (Author) Other; Rios, E (Author) Other; Sobrinho Simoes, M (Author) Other; Soares, P (Author) FMUP

Journal

Title: Surgery

Vol. 160

Pages: 1582-1590

ISSN: 0039-6060

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 6 Citations

Scopus - 6 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00K-WHB

DOI: 10.1016/j.surg.2016.06.050

Abstract (EN): Background. Activation of the mTOR pathway has been observed in thyroid cancer, but the biologic consequences regarding tumor behavior and patient prognosis remain poorly explored. Methods. We aimed to evaluate the associations of the mTOR pathway with clinicopathologic and molecular features and prognosis through the immunocharacterization of pmTOR and pS6 expression (as readouts of the pathway) in a series of 191 papillary thyroid carcinomas. Results. pmTOR expression was associated with distant metastases (P =.05) and persistence of disease (P =.05). Cases with greater expression of pmTOR were submitted to more I-131 treatments (r[102] = 0.2; P =.02) and a greater cumulative dose of radioactive iodine (r[100] = 0.3; P =.01). Positive pmTOR expression showed to be an independent risk factor for distant metastases (odds ratio = 18.2; 95% confidence interval 2.1-157.9; P =.01). In contrast, pS6 expression was associated with absence of extrathyroid extension (P =.001), well-defined tumor margins (P =.05), and wild-type BRAF status (P =.01). There was no correlation between the expression of pmTOR and pS6 expression (r[140] = 0.1; P =.3). Conclusion. pmTOR expression is an indicator of aggressive, metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma, being possibly implicated in refractoriness to therapy, while pS6 expression is associated with less aggressive pathologic features. Further studies are needed to understand better the biologic consequences of activation of the mTOR pathway in the behavior of thyroid cancer, namely the contribution of other pmTOR downstream effectors. (Surgery 2016;160:1582-90.)

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 9