Well differentiated follicular thyroid neoplasia: impact of molecular and technological advances on detection, monitoring and treatment

Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2011 Jan 30;332(1-2):9-20. doi: 10.1016/j.mce.2010.11.009. Epub 2010 Nov 20.

Abstract

Our understanding of the molecular mechanisms responsible for follicular thyroid cell oncogenesis has been advanced significantly in recent years. Specific genetic alterations and the molecular pathways they affect have been associated with particular histologic subtypes of well-differentiated thyroid cancer and are now being evaluated for their utility as clinical tools with diagnostic, prognostic and even therapeutic relevance. This paper focuses on the most common and clinically relevant genetic alterations shown to be consistently associated with well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma. We review the impact of recent molecular and technological advances on thyroid cancer standard of care and the practice of clinical medicine.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma, Follicular* / diagnosis
  • Adenocarcinoma, Follicular* / pathology
  • Adenocarcinoma, Follicular* / therapy
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Molecular Diagnostic Techniques
  • Mutation
  • PAX8 Transcription Factor
  • Paired Box Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Prognosis
  • Standard of Care
  • Thyroid Neoplasms* / diagnosis
  • Thyroid Neoplasms* / genetics
  • Thyroid Neoplasms* / therapy
  • ras Proteins / genetics

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • PAX8 Transcription Factor
  • PAX8 protein, human
  • Paired Box Transcription Factors
  • ras Proteins