The prevalence of RET/PTC mutations in papillary thyroid cancers in Turkish population and its relation between tumor histopathology and prognostic factors.
OBJECTIVE
In recent years, thyroid cancer has been at the forefront of molecular pathology as a result of the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster and the recognition of the role of RET/PTC rearrangements in papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs). Correlation of RET/PTC expression with clinical outcome is controversial. This study aims to identify the prevalence of RET/PTC oncogene expression in Turkey, and to investigate the correlation between RET/PTC oncogene expression and the known prognostic factors of PTC in 101 patients.


METHODS
The RET rearrangements were examined by means of reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis, with primers flanking the chimeric region. Statistical evaluation was performed by using Independent samples t-test, One-sample Chi-square test and Pearson Chi-square or Fisher's Exact Test.


RESULTS
RET/PTC was determined positive in 67(66.3%) of totally 101 patients (p<0.001). RET/PTC1 in 32(31.7%), RET/PTC3 in 21(20.8%), RET/PTC1+RET/PTC3 both in 10(9.9%) patients were found to be positive. There was RET/PTC2 positiveness in two patients, RET/PTC2,3 positiveness in one patient, and RET/PTC1,2,3 positiveness in one patient. No statistical difference was found between RET/PTC1 and RET/PTC3. None of genetico-clinical analyses showed any significant association between RET/PTC expression and the clinical and pathological features of the cancers.


CONCLUSIONS
While this prevalence of the RET/PTC is less than RET/PTC frequency seen after Chernobyl in Belarus, its prevalence in our region is also high (66.3%). As a result, no significant correlation was found in between prognosis and RET/PTC frequency.
Erdoğan
M
M
Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism Disease, Ege University Medical School, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey. drmerdogan61@yahoo.com
Berdeli
A
A
Karadeniz
M
M
Ertan
Y
Y
Cetinkalp
S
S
Saygili
F
F
Tuncyurek
M
M
Yilmaz
C
C
Tuzun
M
M
Kabalak
T
T
Uluer
H
H
Ozgen
A G
AG
D017931:DNA Primers; D003710:Demography; D015321:Gene Rearrangement; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D011379:Prognosis; D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret / Q000235:genetics*; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000235:genetics*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D014421:Turkey; D000098706:Taste Receptors, Type 2
D017931:DNA Primers; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D000098706:Taste Receptors, Type 2; D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret; C099282:RET protein, human