title: BRAFV600E mutation in fine-needle aspiration aspirates: Association with poorer prognostic factors in larger papillary thyroid carcinomas.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent studies have shown that BRAF(V600E) mutation is associated with poor prognostic factors in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). However, there are no studies about the association of the BRAF(V600E) mutation with poor prognostic factors according to tumor size in PTC.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated the prevalence of the BRAF(V600E) mutation and its association with prognostic factors according to tumor size of PTC. BRAF(V600E) mutation status was assessed in thyroid fine-needle aspiration (FNA) specimens from 605 patients before thyroidectomy for PTC, and its association with postoperative clinicopathologic factors was evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall prevalence of the BRAF(V600E) mutation was 67%, and larger tumors more often had the BRAF(V600E) mutation (p for trend < .05). The BRAF(V600E) mutation was significantly associated with male sex, tumor size, extrathyroidal invasion, nodal metastasis, and advanced tumor stage (p < .05). There was a significant size-dependent relationship between the presence of the BRAF(V600E) mutation and extrathyroidal invasion, nodal metastasis, and advanced tumor stage (p for trend < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of the BRAF(V600E) mutation increased with increased tumor size. Preoperative FNA-detected BRAF(V600E) mutation was associated with poor prognostic factors, and the association was stronger in larger tumors.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ji In
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hye Won
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Sun Wook
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jong-Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young Lyun
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Jae Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / Q000235:genetics*; D000077273:Thyroid Cancer, Papillary; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000473:pathology*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: C482119:BRAF protein, human; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf