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The RET/PTC Oncogene Is Frequently Activated in Oncocytic Thyroid Tumors (Hurthle Cell Adenomas and Carcinomas), but Not in Oncocytic Hyperplastic Lesions

Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Napoli (G.C., A.G., I.A., M.M.), Fondazione Senatore Pascale, 80131 Napoli, Italy; Istituto di Anatomia Patologica (P.Tot., S.L., P.Tos.), Università degli Studi di Siena, Nuovo Policlinico, 53100 Siena, Italy; Istituto di Clinica Chirurgica (F.C.), Università degli Studi di Siena, Nuovo Policlinico, 53100 Siena, Italy; Centro di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (F.P., I.A., M.S., A.F.), Dipartimento di Biologia e Patologia Cellulare e Molecolare, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università di Napoli "Federico II," 80131 Naples, Italy; Institute of Pathology (L.M.), University of Bern, CH-3010 Bern, Switzerland

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Alfredo Fusco, Dipartimento di Biologia e Patologia Cellulare e Molecolare, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia di Napoli, Università degli Studi di Napoli "Federico II", via Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy. E-mail: afusco{at}napoli.com

Hurthle cell adenomas and carcinomas, characterized by the presence of oncocytic cells, are unusual thyroid neoplasms, the treatment of which is still controversial. We analyzed specimens from 49 patients with oncocytic cell nodular lesions including 20 adenomas, 19 carcinomas, and 10 hyperplasias for RET/PTC (papillary thyroid carcinoma) activation, which is the most frequent genetic alteration in PTCs. RET/PTC activation was detected in a significant number of cases of Hurthle cell adenomas and carcinomas, but in 0 of 10 patients with hyperplastic nodules. In particular, the RET/PTC1 isoform was found in 7 of 12 adenomas and 4 of 7 carcinomas. These results would indicate that RET/PTC is a genetic event common to papillary carcinomas and to Hurthle cell neoplasias.

This work was supported by grants from Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro (Progetto Speciale Oncosoppressori), the Progetto Finalizzato "Biotecnologie" of the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Telethon projects E611 and E1123, the Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca Scientifica e Tecnologica projects "Terapie antineoplastiche innovative" and "Piani di Potenziamento della Rete Scientifica e Tecnologica", and the "Ministero della Sanità".

Abbreviations: PTC, Papillary thyroid carcinoma.

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