BRAFV600E mutational status in thyroid carcinoma patients - single center study
Journal
European journal of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging
Date Issued
2021
Author(s)
Jankulovska, A
Stoilovska, B
Eftimov, A
Jovanovic, R
DOI
10.1007/s00259-021-05547-1
Abstract
Aim/Introduction: Thyroid carcinomas (TCs) are one of the
most genetically evaluated carcinomas. The BRAFV600E
mutation is the most frequent genetic alteration, but it
isn`t still routinely recommended in the initial evaluation
of the TCs patients. The aim of our study was to evaluate
BRAF mutational status in TCs patients and to correlate
it with clinical features: initial stage, age at diagnosis and
post ablative 131
I scan in relation to presence or absence of
BRAFV600E mutation. Materials and Methods: Fifty-two
patients with TCs were evaluated for BRAFV600E mutational
status from the primary tumor tissue. Retrospective analysis
of the medical data and postoperative histopathology
reports were performed to determine the histopathological
type of tumor and the initial stage. Three nuclear medicine
physicians with more than 10 years’ experience reviewed the
post ablative radioiodine whole body scans (WBS). Patients
were followed for average 4 years (SD ± 2.7years). Results:
We found that 32 out of 52 TCs patients or 63.46% were
BRAFV600E + mutation and all of them were papillary thyroid
carcinomas (PTC), or 21 typical variants, 9 follicular variants
and one patient each were: Warthin like, tall cell and Hurthle
cell variants of PTC. BRAFV600E - were 19 (36.54%) patients (4
being follicular thyroid carcinomas and 15 patients PTC). The
average age at the moment of diagnosis was similar in both
groups, or 45 years ±15.25 in BRAFV600E - group and 48 ±
13.26 years in BRAFV600E + group. Regarding the initial stage
in BRAFV600E - group, 55% were TNM stage I, 25% stage II,
10% stage III and 10% Stage IV and BRAFV600E + group were
53.125% Stage I, 21.875% Stage II, 21.875% Stage III and 3.125%
Stage IVa. Post ablative WBS scan detected remnant thyroid
tissue accumulation in all BRAFV600E + patients. In four
BRAFV600E - patients the scan revealed distant metastases
in 3 patients, while accumulation in neck lymph nodes in
1 patient. Conclusion: Analysis hasn’t revealed significant
difference in age at diagnosis, initial staging and post ablative
131
I WBS scans among BRAFV600E + and - groups. Longer
follow-up is recommended to discover the true meaning of
BRAFV600E in the prognostication.
most genetically evaluated carcinomas. The BRAFV600E
mutation is the most frequent genetic alteration, but it
isn`t still routinely recommended in the initial evaluation
of the TCs patients. The aim of our study was to evaluate
BRAF mutational status in TCs patients and to correlate
it with clinical features: initial stage, age at diagnosis and
post ablative 131
I scan in relation to presence or absence of
BRAFV600E mutation. Materials and Methods: Fifty-two
patients with TCs were evaluated for BRAFV600E mutational
status from the primary tumor tissue. Retrospective analysis
of the medical data and postoperative histopathology
reports were performed to determine the histopathological
type of tumor and the initial stage. Three nuclear medicine
physicians with more than 10 years’ experience reviewed the
post ablative radioiodine whole body scans (WBS). Patients
were followed for average 4 years (SD ± 2.7years). Results:
We found that 32 out of 52 TCs patients or 63.46% were
BRAFV600E + mutation and all of them were papillary thyroid
carcinomas (PTC), or 21 typical variants, 9 follicular variants
and one patient each were: Warthin like, tall cell and Hurthle
cell variants of PTC. BRAFV600E - were 19 (36.54%) patients (4
being follicular thyroid carcinomas and 15 patients PTC). The
average age at the moment of diagnosis was similar in both
groups, or 45 years ±15.25 in BRAFV600E - group and 48 ±
13.26 years in BRAFV600E + group. Regarding the initial stage
in BRAFV600E - group, 55% were TNM stage I, 25% stage II,
10% stage III and 10% Stage IV and BRAFV600E + group were
53.125% Stage I, 21.875% Stage II, 21.875% Stage III and 3.125%
Stage IVa. Post ablative WBS scan detected remnant thyroid
tissue accumulation in all BRAFV600E + patients. In four
BRAFV600E - patients the scan revealed distant metastases
in 3 patients, while accumulation in neck lymph nodes in
1 patient. Conclusion: Analysis hasn’t revealed significant
difference in age at diagnosis, initial staging and post ablative
131
I WBS scans among BRAFV600E + and - groups. Longer
follow-up is recommended to discover the true meaning of
BRAFV600E in the prognostication.