Relationship between expression of cancer stem cell markers CD133,CD44 and histopathologic and clinical features of medullary thyroid cancer

Purpose To investigate the expression of CD133 and CD44 and their relationship with behavior factors in medullary thyroid cancer(MTC). Methods Expression of CD133 and CD44 was detected by immunohistochemistry in 51 MTC tissue specimens. Results The positive rates of CD133 in 21 extracapsular spread cases and 30 non-extracapsular spread cases were 76. 2%(16 /21) and43. 3%(13 /30),respectively. The positive rates of CD133 in 45 non-microMTCs and 6 microMTCs were 64. 4%(29 /45) and 0(0 /6),repectively. The positive rates of CD44 in 21 extracapsular spread cases and 30 non-extracapsular spread cases were 66. 7%(14 /21) and 20%(6 /30). There were significant statistical differences between them respectively(P 0. 05). Expression of CD133 and CD44 was not associated with age,gender,sporadic MTC,involvement of the thyroid,lymph node invasion,distant metastasis and TNM-staging(P 0. 05). Expression of CD133 was positively correlated with that of CD44( P 0. 01). Conclusion CD133 and CD44 expressed in the MTC are associated with the cancer stem cells. CD133 and CD44 play significant roles in the invasion and generation of MTC and can be used as useful indicators for assessment of tumor biological behavior in patients of MTC. The positive correlation of CD133 and CD44 expression indicates that there may be a biomechanism between the two cancer stem cell markers in MTC.