Patterns of thyroid tumors in Northern Saudi Arabia with a specific focus on CK19, CD56, and Galectin-3 tumor markers

H.G. Ahmed, A.B.M. El Hag, K.K. Alanazi, H.M. Alkwai, A.M.A. Abdrhman, A.O.A. Hassan, I.A.M. Ginawi, A.M. Elasbali, H. Sherfi

Department of Histopathology and Cytology, FMLS, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan. hussaingad5@gmail.com

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• Oncology

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to look at the patterns of thyroid tumors and how thyroid cancer markers showed up in immunohistochemistry in Northern Saudi Arabia.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study investigated retrospectively 190 patients who attended with thyroid complaints. About 140 thyroid biopsies were diagnosed in the Department of Pathology at King Salman Hospital, Ha’il, from November 2019 to November 2020.

RESULTS: Out of the 190 patients who attended with thyroid complaints, 140/190 (73.7%) were detected with thyroid lesions (58 malignant and 82 benign). Benign lesions included goiter 49/82 (60%), follicular adenoma 17/82 (21%), Hashimoto’s thyroiditis 13/82 (16%), and toxic goiter 3/82 (3%). 5/6 (83.3%) of males with benign lesions had goiters. CK19 was positive in 68.5% of the cases; 71.8% were papillary, 66.7% were follicular, and 100% were undifferentiated carcinomas. Out of the 26/54 (48%) CD56-positive cases, 18/39 (46%) were papillary, 7/12 (58.3%) were follicular, and 3/3 (100%) were undifferentiated carcinomas. Out of the 35/54 (64.8%) Galectin-3-positive cases, 69.2% were papillary, 7/12 (58.3%) were follicular, and 3/3 (100%) were undifferentiated carcinomas.

CONCLUSIONS: Thyroid cancer is prevalent in northern Saudi Arabia, with the predominant type being papillary thyroid carcinoma. Most patients are female and younger. The combined use of CK19, CD56, and Galectin-3 tumor markers assists in the accurate differential diagnosis of thyroid neoplasms.

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