The Role of Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 in the Development of Benign and Malignant Thyroid Nodules

• Main Authors: Ayşe Karadayı, Hülya Ilıksu Gözü, Cem Gezen, Selahattin Vural, Dilek Yavuzer, Metin Kement, Engin Baştürk, Mustafa Öncel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Galenos Publishing House 2012-06-01
• Series: Balkan Medical Journal
• Subjects: IGF-1; thyroid nodules; thyroid cancer
• Online Access: http://balkanmedicaljournal.org/text.php3?id=849
• ISSN: 2146-3123; 2146-3131

Objective: This study aims to investigate the role of IGF-1 in the development of nodular thyroid disease. Material and Methods: A total number of 100 consecutive patients operated for nodular thyroid disease in our institution were included in this prospective study. In addition to classical pathological examinations, nodules and extranodular healthy tissues were sampled and immunochemically stained for IGF-1. The materials were independently evaluated using an Allred Scoring System ranging from 0 to 8. If the score was ≥1, the tissue was accepted as IGF-1 positive.Results: IGF-1 positivity was observed in 88% and 58% of the samples obtained from nodules and extranodular healthy tissues, respectively. Allred 8-unit scores were higher in benign nodules (n=89; 4.1±2.3) and papillary carcinomas (n=7; 6.7±1.3), than in extranodular healthy tissues in the same patients (2.3±2.3 and 3.3±1.9, respectively); and higher in papillary carcinomas than in benign nodules, when the scores were compared to each other (p<0.01 for all comparisons). Conclusions: Allred 8-unit scores for IGF-1 increase in the presence of benign thyroid nodules, papillary cancer. The results of our study support the findings of previous studies demonstrating the role of IGF-1 in the development of thyroidal nodules.