Detection of COX-2,MMP-9,VEGF and RET in thyroid tissues and significances in primary diagnosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma

Objective To study the expressions of cyclooxegenase-2(COX-2),matrix metalloproteinases-9(MMP-9),vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF),transfection rearrangerment gene(RET) in papillary thyroid carcinoma and significances in primary diagnosis.Methods The expressions of COX-2,MMP-9,VEGF and RET were detected in papillary thyroid carcinoma,thyroid adenoma,nodular goiter and normal thyroid tissues by immunohistochemical method.The diagnostic sensitivities and specificities of these genes in thyroid papillary carcinoma were discussed as well as the relativities between them.Finally,the most sensitive index of papillary thyroid carcinoma's primary diagnosis and the assessment of lymph node metastasis was selected.Results The expressions of COX-2,MMP-9,VEGF and RET in papillary thyroid carcinoma group were obviously higher than those in thyroid benign tumors,which presented an intimate relationship with age,tumor size,membrane integrality and clinical stage(P0.05),the expressions of COX-2 and MMP-9 in thyroid adenoma were higher than those in nodular goiter(P0.05),the expression of COX-2 was correlated to lymph node metastasis(P0.05),but all of them were negatively correlated to patient gender(P 0.05).MMP-9 was regarded as a sensitive marker of diagnosis for early thyroid carcinoma by gene filtration,the sensitivity was 90.9% and the specificity was 90.0%.COX-2 could work as a marker to evaluate lymph node metastasis,the sensitivity was 77.8% and the specificity was 66.7%.Conclusion Combined detection of COX-2 and MMP-9 can be used as the most sensitive biological index in preoperative diagnosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma and assessment of lymph node metastasis.