BRAF Status in Papillary Microcarcinomas of the Thyroid Gland: a Brief Review

Curr Mol Med. 2019;19(9):665-672. doi: 10.2174/1566524019666190717161359.

Abstract

Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) is defined by the World Health Organization as papillary cancer measuring 10 mm or less in diameter. Generally, PTMC shows an indolent clinical behavior with a good prognosis, although a minority of PTMC is characterized by an aggressive course. However, efforts to identify this aggressive subset of PTMC after surgery remain inconclusive. Several oncogenic pathways have been identified in thyroid cancer and have been applied translationally to improve prognosis and clinical management. In particular, the BRAFV600E mutation was found more frequently in large, aggressive, recurrent and advanced tumors. We aimed at reviewing studies on BRAFV600E mutation as a prognostic factor in PTMC.

Keywords: BRAF; Thyroid papillary microcarcinoma; cancer; mutation; prognosis..

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers, Tumor*
  • Carcinoma, Papillary / genetics*
  • Carcinoma, Papillary / metabolism
  • Carcinoma, Papillary / mortality
  • Carcinoma, Papillary / pathology
  • Disease Progression
  • Disease Susceptibility
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Humans
  • Mutation
  • Prognosis
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / genetics*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / mortality
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / pathology

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • BRAF protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf

Supplementary concepts

  • Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma