CD147 expression as a significant prognostic factor in differentiated thyroid carcinoma

CD147 is 1 of the molecules involved in regulating the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). The goal of this study was to analyze the expression of CD147 in differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) tissues as well as its association with the clinicopathologic features of DTC patients and its prognostic significance. During our research, CD147 expression in 156 patients who underwent operation for DTC [100 with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and 56 with follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC)] were examined by immunostaining on paraffin-embedded tumor specimens. Then, the association of CD147 expression with clinicopathologic characteristics and patients' prognosis was analyzed. As a result, CD147 was expressed in cancerous lesions but not in normal tissues. Overall, 55 of 156 (35.26%) cases showed low CD147-positive expression, 52 of 156 (33.33%) showed intermediate CD147-positive expression, and 49 of 156 (31.41%) showed high CD147-positive expression. Positive CD147 staining was associated significantly with various clinicopathologic features, such as extrathyroidal invasion (P = 0.02), lymph node metastasis (P = 0.01), and depth of tumor invasion (P < 0.01). Patients with low CD147 expression showed better survival rates than those with intermediate and high expression (90.91% for low expression, 82.69% for intermediate expression, and 65.31% in high expression, respectively; P < 0.05 for analyses). Using Cox regression analysis of the 156 patients, high expression of CD147, extrathyroidal invasion, lymph node metastasis, and the pathologic grading of tumor invasion seemed to be independent prognostic indicators (P < 0.01, P = 0.02, P < 0.01, and P < 0.01, respectively). Therefore, we conclude that the expression of CD147 may be useful to predict the prognosis of DTC patients.