Objective: To evaluate the relationship between BRAF mutation and factors influencing the prognosis of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC).
Methods: Clinical data from patients with PTMC were subjected to retrospective analysis. A total of 86 patients were included, and the BRAF(V600E) mutation was identified in surgically dissected tissues.
Results: The incidence of BRAF mutation in patients with PTMC was 65.1% (56/86). Both univariate and multivariate analyses indicated a correlation between BRAF mutation and lymph node metastasis (P = 0.057). For patients with tumors ≤ 10 mm in diameter, BRAF mutation had no effect on lymph node metastasis (P > 0.05). No lymph node metastasis was found in patients with tumors ≤ 5 mm in diameter.
Conclusion: BRAF gene mutation is an independent predictive risk factor for central lymph node metastasis in patients with PTMC. For patients with preoperative BRAF mutation positivity, it is important to perform central lymph node dissection (CLND) and lymphatic and adipose tissues should be routinely removed. However, in patients without BRAF mutation and tumors ≤ 5 mm in diameter, the necessity of prophylactic CLND should be reevaluated.
Keywords: BRAF gene; Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma; gene mutation; lymph node metastasis.