Journal of Pathology and Translational Medicine

Mitsuyoshi Hirokawa

3 Articles

Recent topics on thyroid cytopathology: reporting systems and ancillary studies: Mitsuyoshi Hirokawa, Ayana Suzuki; J Pathol Transl Med. 2025;59(4):214-224. Published online June 30, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4132/jptm.2025.04.18

329 View
29 Download

Abstract PDF: As fine-needle aspiration techniques and diagnostic methodologies for thyroid nodules have continued to evolve and reporting systems have been updated accordingly, we need to be up to date with the latest information to achieve accurate diagnoses. However, the diagnostic approaches and therapeutic strategies for thyroid nodules vary across laboratories and institutions. Several differences exist between Western and Eastern practices regarding thyroid fine-needle aspiration. This review describes the reporting systems for thyroid cytopathology and ancillary studies. Updated reporting systems enhance the accuracy, consistency, and clarity of cytology reporting, leading to improved patient outcomes and management strategies. Although a single global reporting system is optimal, reporting systems tailored to each country is acceptable. In such cases, compatibility must be ensured to facilitate data sharing. Ancillary methods include liquid-based cytology, immunocytochemistry, biochemical measurements, flow cytometry, molecular testing, and artificial intelligence, all of which improve diagnostic accuracy. These methods continue to evolve, and cytopathologists should actively adopt the latest methods and information to achieve more accurate diagnoses. We believe this review will be useful to practitioners of routine thyroid cytology.

Identification of invasive subpopulations using spatial transcriptome analysis in thyroid follicular tumors: Ayana Suzuki, Satoshi Nojima, Shinichiro Tahara, Daisuke Motooka, Masaharu Kohara, Daisuke Okuzaki, Mitsuyoshi Hirokawa, Eiichi Morii; J Pathol Transl Med. 2024;58(1):22-28. Published online January 10, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4132/jptm.2023.11.21

2,971 View
246 Download
2 Web of Science
2 Crossref

Background
Follicular tumors include follicular thyroid adenomas and carcinomas; however, it is difficult to distinguish between the two when the cytology or biopsy material is obtained from a portion of the tumor. The presence or absence of invasion in the resected material is used to differentiate between adenomas and carcinomas, which often results in the unnecessary removal of the adenomas. If nodules that may be follicular thyroid carcinomas are identified preoperatively, active surveillance of other nodules as adenomas is possible, which reduces the risk of surgical complications and the expenses incurred during medical treatment. Therefore, we aimed to identify biomarkers in the invasive subpopulation of follicular tumor cells.
Methods
We performed a spatial transcriptome analysis of a case of follicular thyroid carcinoma and examined the dynamics of CD74 expression in 36 cases.
Results
We identified a subpopulation in a region close to the invasive area, and this subpopulation expressed high levels of CD74. Immunohistochemically, CD74 was highly expressed in the invasive and peripheral areas of the tumor.
Conclusions
Although high CD74 expression has been reported in papillary and anaplastic thyroid carcinomas, it has not been analyzed in follicular thyroid carcinomas. Furthermore, the heterogeneity of CD74 expression in thyroid tumors has not yet been reported. The CD74-positive subpopulation identified in this study may be useful in predicting invasion of follicular thyroid carcinomas.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Diagnosis of invasive encapsulated follicular variant papillary thyroid carcinoma by protein-based machine learning
Truong Phan-Xuan Nguyen, Minh-Khang Le, Sittiruk Roytrakul, Shanop Shuangshoti, Nakarin Kitkumthorn, Somboon Keelawat
Journal of Pathology and Translational Medicine.2025; 59(1): 39. CrossRef
Spatial Transcriptomics in Thyroid Cancer: Applications, Limitations, and Future Perspectives
Chaerim Song, Hye-Ji Park, Man S. Kim
Cells.2025; 14(12): 936. CrossRef

The Asian Thyroid Working Group, from 2017 to 2023: Kennichi Kakudo, Chan Kwon Jung, Zhiyan Liu, Mitsuyoshi Hirokawa, Andrey Bychkov, Huy Gia Vuong, Somboon Keelawat, Radhika Srinivasan, Jen-Fan Hang, Chiung-Ru Lai; J Pathol Transl Med. 2023;57(6):289-304. Published online November 14, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4132/jptm.2023.10.04

4,878 View
288 Download
10 Web of Science
10 Crossref

Abstract PDF Supplementary Material

The Asian Thyroid Working Group was founded in 2017 at the 12th Asia Oceania Thyroid Association (AOTA) Congress in Busan, Korea. This group activity aims to characterize Asian thyroid nodule practice and establish strict diagnostic criteria for thyroid carcinomas, a reporting system for thyroid fine needle aspiration cytology without the aid of gene panel tests, and new clinical guidelines appropriate to conservative Asian thyroid nodule practice based on scientific evidence obtained from Asian patient cohorts. Asian thyroid nodule practice is usually designed for patient-centered clinical practice, which is based on the Hippocratic Oath, “First do not harm patients,” and an oriental filial piety “Do not harm one’s own body because it is a precious gift from parents,” which is remote from defensive medical practice in the West where physicians, including pathologists, suffer from severe malpractice climate. Furthermore, Asian practice emphasizes the importance of resource management in navigating the overdiagnosis of low-risk thyroid carcinomas. This article summarizes the Asian Thyroid Working Group activities in the past 7 years, from 2017 to 2023, highlighting the diversity of thyroid nodule practice between Asia and the West and the background reasons why Asian clinicians and pathologists modified Western systems significantly.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Risk of Infertility in Reproductive-Age Patients With Thyroid Cancer Receiving or Not Receiving 131I Treatment
Chun-Yi Lin, Cheng-Li Lin, Chia-Hung Kao
Clinical Nuclear Medicine.2025; 50(3): 201. CrossRef
Association Between Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease and Thyroid Cancer
Sang Yi Moon, Minkook Son, Jung-Hwan Cho, Hye In Kim, Ji Min Han, Ji Cheol Bae, Sunghwan Suh
Thyroid®.2025; 35(1): 79. CrossRef
Letter: “High Rates of Unnecessary Surgery for Indeterminate Thyroid Nodules in the Absence of Molecular Test and the Cost-Effectiveness of Utilizing Molecular Test in an Asian Population: A Decision Analysis” by Fung et al
Kennichi Kakudo, Andrey Bychkov, Jen-Fan Hang, Mitsuyoshi Hirokawa, Somboon Keelawat, Zhiyan Liu, Radhika Srinivasan, Chan Kwon Jung
Thyroid®.2025; 35(5): 595. CrossRef
Thyroid Nodules with Nuclear Atypia of Undetermined Significance (AUS-Nuclear) Hold a Two-Times-Higher Risk of Malignancy than AUS-Other Nodules Regardless of EU-TIRADS Class of the Nodule or Borderline Tumor Interpretation
Dorota Słowińska-Klencka, Bożena Popowicz, Joanna Duda-Szymańska, Mariusz Klencki
Cancers.2025; 17(8): 1365. CrossRef
Response to Kakudo et al.: “High Rates of Unnecessary Surgery for Indeterminate Thyroid Nodules in the Absence of Molecular Test and the Cost-Effectiveness of Utilizing Molecular Test in an Asian Population: A Decision Analysis”
Man Him Matrix Fung, Ching Tang, Gin Wai Kwok, Tin Ho Chan, Yan Luk, David Tak Wai Lui, Carlos King Ho Wong, Brian Hung Hin Lang
Thyroid®.2025; 35(5): 597. CrossRef
Molecular Testing Could Drive Smarter Decision-Marking for Indeterminate Thyroid Nodule if the Price was Right
Sarah C. Brennan, Matti L. Gild, Venessa Tsang
Clinical Thyroidology®.2025; 37(5): 165. CrossRef
Welcoming the new, revisiting the old: a brief glance at cytopathology reporting systems for lung, pancreas, and thyroid
Rita Luis, Balamurugan Thirunavukkarasu, Deepali Jain, Sule Canberk
Journal of Pathology and Translational Medicine.2024; 58(4): 165. CrossRef
Are we ready to bridge classification systems? A comprehensive review of different reporting systems in thyroid cytology
Esther Diana Rossi, Liron Pantanowitz
Cytopathology.2024; 35(6): 674. CrossRef
Aggressive Types of Malignant Thyroid Neoplasms
Maria Boudina, Eleana Zisimopoulou, Persefoni Xirou, Alexandra Chrisoulidou
Journal of Clinical Medicine.2024; 13(20): 6119. CrossRef
Fine needle aspiration cytology diagnoses of follicular thyroid carcinoma: results from a multicenter study in Asia
Hee Young Na, Miyoko Higuchi, Shinya Satoh, Kaori Kameyama, Chan Kwon Jung, Su-Jin Shin, Shipra Agarwal, Jen-Fan Hang, Yun Zhu, Zhiyan Liu, Andrey Bychkov, Kennichi Kakudo, So Yeon Park
Journal of Pathology and Translational Medicine.2024; 58(6): 331. CrossRef

Author index