 |
Related Articles |
Surgical implications of B-Raf(V600E) mutation in fine-needle aspiration of thyroid nodules.
Am J Surg. 2010 Jul;200(1):136-143
Authors: Mekel M, Nucera C, Hodin RA, Parangi S
BACKGROUND: Management of patients with thyroid nodules is based on establishing an accurate diagnosis; however, differentiating benign from malignant lesions preoperatively is not always possible using current cytological techniques. Novel molecular testing on cytological material could lead to clearer treatment algorithms. B-Raf(V600E) mutation is the most common genetic alteration in thyroid cancer, specifically found in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), and usually reported to be associated with aggressive disease. DATA SOURCE: A literature search using PubMed identified all the pertinent literature on the identification and utilization of the B-Raf(V600E) mutation in thyroid cancer. CONCLUSIONS: The utility of using B-Raf mutation testing for nodules with indeterminate cytology is limited since many of those nodules (benign and malignant) do not harbor B-Raf mutations. However, when the pathologist sees cytological features suspicious for PTC, B-Raf(V600E) mutation analysis may enhance the assessment of preoperative risks for PTC, directing a more aggressive initial surgical management when appropriate.
PMID: 20637346 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]