LGALS3 and neoplasm: In addition, various studies although performed on other tumours than thyroid tumours, such as prostate and colon carcinoma, suggest that galectin-3 plays a dual role according to its localisation: nuclear galectin-3 would play antitumour functions while cytoplasmic galectin-3 would promote tumour progression (Lotz et al, 1993; Honjo et al, 2000; Van den Brule et al, 2000; Califice et al, 2004).