Aberration of glycosylation is a hallmark of cancer cells, and plays an important role in oncogenesis and cancer progression, including metastasis. One of the markers of aberrant glycosylation (O-linked) is the binding of the lectin Helix pomatia agglutinin (HPA), which has been demonstrated in a wide range of human cancers, especially in tumours with a more aggressive phenotype. Data on the role of HPA within follicular neoplasms of the thyroid gland are currently lacking, therefore we sought to investigate possible changes in cell surface glycosylation associated with this type of neoplasms.

Lectin-histochemistry was performed on 37 archival paraffin wax-embedded specimens of various follicular thyroid tumours (10 follicular adenomas (FA), 10 minimally invasive follicular carcinomas (miFTC), 13 widely invasive follicular cancers (wiFTC) and 4 metastatic follicular thyroid cancers (metFTC)). Sections were scored as positive when ≥5% of cancer cells labelled positive, and scored as negative when <5% labelled positive for HPA binding. Assessments of HPA-binding were performed by two observers, who were blinded to the identity of the sample, and their results were compared.

Inclusion Criteria:

• For this retrospective cohort study, 37 patients who underwent thyroid surgery for a thyroid follicular neoplasm between 2005 and 2018 were identified from our institutional database and their tumours, characteristics and outcomes were analysed.

Exclusion Criteria:

• N/A

For this retrospective cohort study, 37 patients who underwent thyroid surgery for a thyroid follicular neoplasm between 2005 and 2018 were identified from our institutional database and their tumours, characteristics and outcomes were analysed.