Patterns of thyroid tumors in Northern Saudi Arabia with a specific focus on CK19, CD56, and Galectin-3 tumor markers.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to look at the patterns of thyroid tumors and how thyroid cancer markers showed up in immunohistochemistry in Northern Saudi Arabia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study investigated retrospectively 190 patients who attended with thyroid complaints. About 140 thyroid biopsies were diagnosed in the Department of Pathology at King Salman Hospital, Ha'il, from November 2019 to November 2020. RESULTS: Out of the 190 patients who attended with thyroid complaints, 140/190 (73.7%) were detected with thyroid lesions (58 malignant and 82 benign). Benign lesions included goiter 49/82 (60%), follicular adenoma 17/82 (21%), Hashimoto's thyroiditis 13/82 (16%), and toxic goiter 3/82 (3%). 5/6 (83.3%) of males with benign lesions had goiters. CK19 was positive in 68.5% of the cases; 71.8% were papillary, 66.7% were follicular, and 100% were undifferentiated carcinomas. Out of the 26/54 (48%) CD56-positive cases, 18/39 (46%) were papillary, 7/12 (58.3%) were follicular, and 3/3 (100%) were undifferentiated carcinomas. Out of the 35/54 (64.8%) Galectin-3-positive cases, 69.2% were papillary, 7/12 (58.3%) were follicular, and 3/3 (100%) were undifferentiated carcinomas. CONCLUSIONS: Thyroid cancer is prevalent in northern Saudi Arabia, with the predominant type being papillary thyroid carcinoma. Most patients are female and younger. The combined use of CK19, CD56, and Galectin-3 tumor markers assists in the accurate differential diagnosis of thyroid neoplasms.

Expression of ER, PR, HER2, and Cadherin tumor markers in a series of Saudi patients with BC.

OBJECTIVE: Breast cancer (BC) tumor markers have an important implication in the subsequent BC management and survival determinants. Thus, the present study aimed to formulate the expression of ER, PR, HER2, and E-cadherin tumor markers in a series of Saudi patients with BC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: About 133 BC biopsies were retrieved from the Department of Pathology at King Salman Hospital, Hai'l, Northern Saudi Arabia, from November 2019 to November 2020. Out of the 133 biopsies, 50 (37.6%) were diagnosed with BC, including 46 ductal carcinoma, 2 lobular carcinomas, and 2 papillary carcinomas. RESULTS: ER was expressed in 30/44 (68.2%), 2/2 (100%), 2/2 (100%) of the cases of DC, LC, and PC, respectively. PR was expressed in 27/43 (63%), 2/2 (100%), 2/2 (100%) of the cases of DC, LC, and PC, correspondingly. HER2 was expressed in 13/31 (42%), 0%, and 0% of DC, LC, and PC cases, respectively. Correspondingly, E-cadherin was expressed in 11/21 (52.4%), 0%, 1/1 (100%) of the cases of DC, LC, and PC. CONCLUSIONS: Triple-negative BC and HER2+ve among Saudi women are among the higher globally reported ranges, associated with poorer response to treatment and prognosis. Luckily, only one patient was found with ER-ve PR+ve, the subtype usually associated with poorer survival outcomes. E-cadherin loss is lower among Saudi BC patients, which suggests a less rate of invasion in these patients. The current study's findings may help improve Saudi guidelines for the treatment of breast cancer.