Urokinase Plasminogen Activator and Its Inhibitor Type-1 as Prognostic Factors in Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma Patients:

ObjectiveTo investigate the prognostic value of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and its inhibitor, type-1 plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1), in differentiated thyroid cancer.Study DesignProspective cohort study.SettingUniversity hospital.Subjects and MethodsCytosolic concentrations of uPA and PAI-1 were determined in 105 patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma and normal matched tissues using an enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA).ResultsBoth uPA and PAI-1 concentrations were significantly higher in differentiated thyroid tumors (uPA = 0.509 ± 0.767 and PAI-1 = 6.337 ± 6.415 ng/mg) compared to normal tissues (uPA = 0.237 ± 0.051, P < .001; PAI-1 = 2.368 ± 0.418 ng/mg, P < .001). uPA and PAI-1 were significantly higher if extrathyroidal invasion (uPA, P = .015; PAI-1, P < .001) or distant metastasis (PAI-1 P < .001) was present, as well as in tumors whose size exceeded 1 cm in diameter (uPA, P = .002; PAI-1, P = .001). Survival analysis revealed the significant impact of both uPA and ...