gms | German Medical Science

IGF-I (Insulin Like Growth Factor I), HGF (Hepatocyte Growth Factor), TGF-beta1 (Transforming Growth Factor beta1, bFGF (basic Fibroblast Growth Factor) and VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor) are growth factors, that take part in the thyroid gland tumors origin and growth. The aim of this study was to describe their production by papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) and to compare it with their production by thyroid gland adenoma and normal thyroid tissue. We also tried to find the suitable peripheral marker of thyroid papillary cancer.

We measured serum concentrations of IGF-I, HGF, TGF-beta1, bFGF and VEGF in the peripheral blood in 28 patients with thyroid gland tumors (14 adenomas, 14 papillary cancers). We compared these concentrations with serum levels in healthy people. Serum concentrations were measured using ELISA kits. We also immunohistochemicaly detected the presence of these growth factors directly in the tissue of papillary thyroid cancer, thyroid adenoma and normal thyroid gland, using marked antibodies.

Changes in the production of growth factors by cells of thyroid gland tumors are reflected in their peripheral blood levels, but these levels also depend on a lot of another physiological and pathological processes in the organism. However significant differences of HGF (adenoma 1496 ± 810; PTC 1137 ± 862; healthy 361 ± 83 pg/ml) and bFGF (adenoma 4.93 ± 3.42; PTC 5.69 ± 5.58; healthy 1.47 ± 1.77 ng/ml) serum levels can be explained by their very strong production by thyroid tumor cells and by their strong effect on the follicular and endothelial cells proliferation. HGF and bFGF seem to be possible peripheral markers of thyroid gland papillary cancer.