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BRAF status not associated with negative predictors for papillary thyroid cancer
BRAFV600E mutations were not significantly associated with most clinicopathologic features suggestive of aggressive papillary thyroid carcinoma, according to results of a retrospective study.
Researchers pooled data on 429 patients from the pathology archives at the University of California to assess the significance of BRAF V600E mutation in papillary thyroid cancer. Clinicopathologic features in patients with and without BRAF mutations served as the primary outcome measure.
Of the 429 patients, 73.2% tested positive for BRAF mutation and 26.8% tested negative. Results of univariate analysis showed the mutation was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis (P=.002) and tumor margin positivity (P=.03), but researchers did not observe a significant association on multivariate analysis.
Researchers found that BRAF mutation was a predictor of male sex (OR=3.2; 95%CI, 1.4-7.2) and total thyroidectomy (OR=2.6; 95%CI, 1.1-6.2) and a negative predictor for follicular variant papillary thyroid cancer (OR=0.1; 95%CI, 0.1-0.4).
The investigators observed no significant associations between BRAF mutation and tumor multicentricity, lymphovascular invasion, extranodal extension, central neck involvement, stage III or IV disease, or distant metastasis.
“BRAF V600E mutation has been extensively studied in relation to negative prognostic indicators in papillary thyroid cancer, with no consistent relationship emerging,” the researchers wrote. “Two recent meta-analyses showed an overall association between BRAF status and aggressive disease features and called for tailoring treatment plans in patients accordingly. In this, the largest US study to date, BRAF status was not significantly associated with most clinicopathologic features suggestive of more aggressive disease.”
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.