Prognostic significance of DLL4 expression in papillary thyroid cancer

Y.-Z. Zhang, F. Qin, Z.-G. Han, Q. Liu, L. Zhou, Y.-W. Wang

Department of General Surgery, People’s Hospital of Rizhao, Shandong, China. wangywwf@126.com

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• Oncology

OBJECTIVE: Delta-like ligand 4 (DLL4)-Notch signaling has an important role in tumor neovascular development and angiogenesis during tumor growth. However, the clinical significance of DLL4 expression in papillary thyroid cancer remains unclear to date.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: 207 papillary thyroid cancer patients were in the present study. DLL4 expression in papillary thyroid cancer was analyzed and evaluated immunohistochemically. The correlation between DLL4 and clinicopathological factors was also evaluated.

RESULTS: DLL4 expression was showed in the cytoplasm of papillary thyroid cancer cells by immunohistochemical staining. DLL4 positivity in papillary thyroid cancer was found in 112 (54%) of the 207 papillary thyroid cancer patients. Papillary thyroid cancer DLL4 expression was significantly correlated with thyroid tumour invasion and metastasis.

CONCLUSIONS: Overexpression of DLL4 is associated with thyroid tumour invasion and metastasis and it may be an effective target of anti-DLL4 treatment in papillary thyroid cancer.

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