title: The RET/PTC oncogene is frequently activated in oncocytic thyroid tumors (Hurthle cell adenomas and carcinomas), but not in oncocytic hyperplastic lesions.
abstract: Hurthle cell adenomas and carcinomas, characterized by the presence of oncocytic cells, are unusual thyroid neoplasms, the treatment of which is still controversial. We analyzed specimens from 49 patients with oncocytic cell nodular lesions including 20 adenomas, 19 carcinomas, and 10 hyperplasias for RET/PTC (papillary thyroid carcinoma) activation, which is the most frequent genetic alteration in PTCs. RET/PTC activation was detected in a significant number of cases of Hurthle cell adenomas and carcinomas, but in 0 of 10 patients with hyperplastic nodules. In particular, the RET/PTC1 isoform was found in 7 of 12 adenomas and 4 of 7 carcinomas. These results would indicate that RET/PTC is a genetic event common to papillary carcinomas and to Hurthle cell neoplasias.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Napoli, Fondazione Senatore Pascale, 80131 Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Gennaro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chiappetta
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Toti
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cetta
authors.forename: Ada
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giuliano
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pentimalli
authors.forename: Ida
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Amendola
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lazzi
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Monaco
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mazzuchelli
authors.forename: Piero
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tosi
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santoro
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fusco
mesh_terms: D018249:Adenoma, Oxyphilic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / Q000378:metabolism*; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000378:metabolism; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; C093573:ret-PTC fusion oncoproteins, human