HMGB1 and thyroid gland papillary carcinoma: For further evaluating the clinical relevance, HMGB1 expression was detected by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR in thyroid cancer samples from 36 patients with thyroid cancer [19 patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and 17 patients with follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC)], 20 patients with thyroid adenoma, 17 patients with simple goiter and 15 patients with normal thyroid.