p53 protein expression in synchronously occurring dedifferentiating stages of thyroid cancer in a patient with neurofibromas: A case report

  • Authors:
    • Georgios Boutzios
    • Eleni Papaoiconomou
    • Andreas Pikoulis
    • Konstantinos Nastos
    • Despoina Pouloudi
    • Anastasia Pikouli
    • Eleni Koukoulioti
    • Andreas Lazaris
    • Emmanouil Pikoulis
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: August 8, 2021     https://doi.org/10.3892/mco.2021.2362
  • Article Number: 200
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Abstract

Poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma (PDTC) and anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) have been hypothesized to arise from well‑differentiated thyroid carcinoma (WDTC) due to frequently reported synchronous and metachronous occurrence. Loss of normal p53 function has been implicated in this dedifferentiation process. The current case report presents a 60‑year‑old male with multiple neurofibromas who underwent total thyroidectomy due to multiple palpable thyroid nodules. Histopathological examination revealed three foci of predominantly papillary, but also follicular carcinoma growth pattern, and two lesions with histological features of insular and trabecular variant, with the larger one showing foci of anaplastic transition. Nuclear p53 protein accumulation, corresponding to mutant abnormally stabilized p53, was higher in more aggressive variants compared with WDTC. The somatic molecular events and downstream pathways of this dedifferentiation course have not been unraveled yet. The present case report demonstrated the simultaneous presence of three divergent histological subtypes in a single thyroid gland, with progressive enhancement of nuclear p53 protein expression, associated with mutant p53 protein, in the more aggressive variants. This is a rare case of progressive enhancement of mutant nuclear p53 protein expression in multifocal thyroid tumor areas consisting of WDTC, PDTC and ATC histological types, highlighting the possibility that WDTC can progress to PDTC and then ATC through an intricate procedure, involving loss of normal p53 function.
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October-2021
Volume 15 Issue 4

Print ISSN: 2049-9450
Online ISSN:2049-9469

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Spandidos Publications style
Boutzios G, Papaoiconomou E, Pikoulis A, Nastos K, Pouloudi D, Pikouli A, Koukoulioti E, Lazaris A and Pikoulis E: p53 protein expression in synchronously occurring dedifferentiating stages of thyroid cancer in a patient with neurofibromas: A case report. Mol Clin Oncol 15: 200, 2021
APA
Boutzios, G., Papaoiconomou, E., Pikoulis, A., Nastos, K., Pouloudi, D., Pikouli, A. ... Pikoulis, E. (2021). p53 protein expression in synchronously occurring dedifferentiating stages of thyroid cancer in a patient with neurofibromas: A case report. Molecular and Clinical Oncology, 15, 200. https://doi.org/10.3892/mco.2021.2362
MLA
Boutzios, G., Papaoiconomou, E., Pikoulis, A., Nastos, K., Pouloudi, D., Pikouli, A., Koukoulioti, E., Lazaris, A., Pikoulis, E."p53 protein expression in synchronously occurring dedifferentiating stages of thyroid cancer in a patient with neurofibromas: A case report". Molecular and Clinical Oncology 15.4 (2021): 200.
Chicago
Boutzios, G., Papaoiconomou, E., Pikoulis, A., Nastos, K., Pouloudi, D., Pikouli, A., Koukoulioti, E., Lazaris, A., Pikoulis, E."p53 protein expression in synchronously occurring dedifferentiating stages of thyroid cancer in a patient with neurofibromas: A case report". Molecular and Clinical Oncology 15, no. 4 (2021): 200. https://doi.org/10.3892/mco.2021.2362