title: BRAF: a tool in the decision to perform elective neck dissection?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Some studies have demonstrated a correlation between the presence of a BRAF mutation and aggressive characteristics, including lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Prophylactic central neck dissection (CND) has been proposed for treatment of PTC. Given the potential complications of CND, we undertook a prospective study to determine the correlation between the BRAF mutation and lymph node metastasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 51 patients with PTC underwent total thyroidectomy and routine prophylactic CND. All patients were tested for the BRAF mutation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Positive lymph nodes were found in 54.9% of patients. The BRAF mutation was found in 15 patients (29%). BRAF was not correlated with lymph node metastases. Lymph node metastases were correlated with multifocality (p=0.005) and angiolymphatic invasion (p=0.003) in univariate analysis. Age was also significant in multivariate analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Testing for the BRAF mutation does not help in deciding whether or not to perform CND.
authors.affiliation: 1 Institute of Cancer of the State of Sao Paulo (ICESP) , Sao Paulo, Brazil .
authors.forename: Simone E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Dutenhefner
authors.forename: Suemi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marui
authors.forename: Andre B O
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Erika Urbano
authors.initials: EU
authors.lastname: de Lima
authors.forename: Milton
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Jose S Brandão
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Neto
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shiang
authors.forename: Julia T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Fukushima
authors.forename: Claudio R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Cernea
authors.forename: Celso U M
authors.initials: CU
authors.lastname: Friguglietti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D037981:Neck Dissection; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / Q000235:genetics*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013965:Thyroidectomy; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf