Abstract: Abstract: Objective To investigate the expressions of carbohydrate antigen 19-9(CA19-9), carbohydrate antigen 15- 3(CA15- 3) and carbohydrate antigen 125(CA125) and their clinical significance in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Methods The expressions of CA19-9, CA15-3 and CA125 were detected by immunohistochemical MaxVision method in 80 cases of PTC and 80 cases of benign thyroid lesions (BTL), including 34 cases of nodular goiter, 26 cases of Hashimoto's thyroiditis and 20 cases of follicular adenoma. The relationship between expressions of CA19-9, CA15-3 and CA125 and the clinical pathological characteristics were analyzed. Results The expression rates of CA19-9, CA15-3 and CA125 in 80 cases of PTC were 85%, 100% and 43.8% respectively, compared with BTL, the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.01). There was no significant correlation between expressions of CA19- 9, CA15- 3 and CA125 and age, gender, number and diameter of tumor nodules, lymph node metastasis, and TNM staging (P > 0.05). The sensitivity of CA19-9, CA15- 3 and CA125 in the differential diagnosis of PTC and BTL were 85%, 100% and 43.8% respectively, and the specificity were 91.3%, 36.3% and 91.3%, respectively. Conclusion The expressions of CA19-9, CA153 and CA125 are helpful for the differential diagnosis of PTC and BTL.

Key words:  thyroid neoplasms, carcinoma, papillary, immunohistochemistry, diagnosis, differential, sensitivity and specificity, CA-19-9 antigen, CA-15-3 antigen, CA-125 antigen