Gene profile of human medullary thyroid cancer

We report gene expression profiling in a series of 17 human medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) tissues, including 8 primary tumors and 9 patient paired neck nodes metastases, in comparison with 3 non-neoplastic thyroid tissues. For the same series we have previously reported miRNA expression profiles (GSE97070 series). Eight sporadic MTC patients were selected for the gene microarray analysis. A total of 17 MTCs (8 P = primary tumor and 9 M = nodal metastasis) and 3 non-neoplastic thyroids (N) were obtained from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) surgical specimens. The primary tumors and the matched nodal metastases were obtained from the initial surgery or from a subsequent lymphadenectomy. Referring to the matched primary tumor, 6 of the nodal metastases were synchronous and 3 were metachronous (one patient had both metastasis types included in the array). Non-neoplastic thyroid samples were obtained from patients with pathologies other than thyroid cancer. For each specimen haematoxylin and eosin-stained sections and calcitonin-stained sections were evaluated by an experienced pathologist to confirm the histological diagnosis and to select areas in which tumor cells represented at least the 80% of the total cells. MTC samples correnspond with those reported in GSE97070 miRNA series, as well as 2 of the 3 non-neoplastic thyroids (N_a and N_g). The other non-neoplastic thyroid sample (N_c) was not available for gene profiling and replaced by a new control sample (N_b).