BRAF V600E does not predict aggressive features of pediatric papillary thyroid carcinoma. (29th April 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Givens, Daniel J.; Buchmann, Luke O.; Agarwal, Archana M.; Grimmer, Johannes F.; Hunt, Jason P.
• Is Part Of: Laryngoscope. Volume 124:Number 9(2014:Sep.)
• Page Start: E389
• Page End: E393
• Publication Date: 2014-04-29
• Subjects: Otolaryngology -- Periodicals; 617.51005
• DOI: 10.1002/lary.24668
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0023-852X

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="lary24668-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Objectives/Hypothesis</title> <p>This study aimed to review the prevalence of the BRAF V600E mutation in pediatric papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and any possible association with aggressive tumor behavior.</p> </sec> <sec id="lary24668-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Study Design</title> <p>A retrospective chart review and post hoc BRAF V600E mutational analysis of archived tumor tissue.</p> </sec> <sec id="lary24668-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>Patients 0 to 18 years old who underwent surgery for PTC from 1999 to 2012 were selected for a retrospective chart review to assess for aggressive disease characteristics. Microdissection was performed on archived tumor tissue, which was analyzed for the BRAF V600E mutation by pyrosequencing.</p> </sec> <sec id="lary24668-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Archived tumor specimens were available for 19/27 pediatric patients who fit the inclusion criteria. Ages ranged from 2.8 to 18 years (median, 13.7 years). Thirteen patients (68.4%) had central neck metastases, eight (42.1%) had lateral neck metastases, and five (26.3%) had pulmonary metastases. The BRAF V600E mutation was present in seven patients (36.8%). There were 11 patients with classic PTC, seven with a follicular variant of PTC, and one with an oncocytic variant. Seven (63.6%) with classical PTC were BRAF V600E positive. All histologic variants were wild type. PTC histology significantly correlated with the BRAF mutation (<italic>P</italic> = .013). The BRAF mutation was associated with a lower metastases, age at diagnosis, completeness of resection, invasion, and size of the tumor score, which trended toward significance (<italic>P</italic> = .087). Presence of lymphatic or pulmonary metastases, tumor size, overall age, lymphovascular invasion, or extrathyroidal extension were not associated with BRAF V600E. Our results are combined with existing studies for a combined incidence of 28.4%.</p> </sec> <sec id="lary24668-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>BRAF V600E mutations may be more prevalent than previously thought in pediatric patients with PTC, but do not correlate with aggressive disease characteristics.</p> </sec> <sec id="lary24668-sec-0006" sec-type="section"> <title>Level of Evidence</title> <p>4. <italic>Laryngoscope</italic>, 124:E389–E393, 2014</p> </sec> </abstract>