An autopsied case of papillary thyroid carcinoma showing DNA heterogeneity-comparison of DNA content between primary focus and metastatic focus]

A 56-year-old female case of papillary thyroid carcinoma is reported. Nuclear DNA analysis using flow cytometry and immuno-histological staining with thyroglobulin, CA19-9 and CA125 of the primary and metastatic foci from the autopsy specimens were performed. Correlation between ploidy patterns and immuno-histological staining was not found. Although two histogram patterns namely DNA diploid (DP) and aneuploid (AP) with DNA index of 1.3 were seen in primary, sternal and lung metastatic foci, only DP pattern was seen in the lymph node metastatic foci.