title: The Risk of Relapse in Papillary Thyroid Cancer (PTC) in the Context of BRAFV600E Mutation Status and Other Prognostic Factors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The risk of over-treatment in low-advanced PTC stages has prompted clinicians to search for new reliable prognostic factors. The presence of BRAF mutation, the most frequent molecular event in PTC, seems to be a good candidate. However, there is still lack of randomised trials and its significance has been proved by retrospective analyses, involving a large group of patients. The question arises whether this factor is useful in smaller populations, characterised for specialised centres. Thus, the aim of the study was to evaluate the use of BRAF mutation as a potential predictive marker in PTC patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  233 PTC subjects treated between 2004-2006, were retrospectively analysed. Stage pT1 was diagnosed in 64.8% patients and lymph node metastases in 30.9%. Median follow-up was 7.5 years. BRAFV600E mutation was assessed postoperatively in all cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BRAF V600E mutation was found in 54.5%. It was more frequent in patients > 45 years (p=0.0001), and associated with larger tumour size (p=0.004). Patients with tumours <= 10 mm were over-represented among BRAF negative population (p=0.03). No association between BRAF mutation and other clinicopathological factors was observed. BRAF status was associated neither with relapse nor with disease-free survival (DFS) (p=0.76). Nodal status, extrathyroidal invasion and tumour size significantly influenced DFS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The risk of PTC recurrence is mainly related to the presence of lymph node metastases and extrathyroidal invasion, whereas no impact of BRAF V600E mutation has been demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: The Oncologic and Reconstructive Surgery Clinic, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Gliwice Branch, Gliwice, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Czarniecka
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine and Endocrine Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Gliwice Branch, Gliwice, Poland.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kowal
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine and Endocrine Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Gliwice Branch, Gliwice, Poland.
authors.forename: Dagmara
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rusinek
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine and Endocrine Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Gliwice Branch, Gliwice, Poland.
authors.forename: Jolanta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Krajewska
authors.affiliation: III Dept. of Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Gliwice Branch, Gliwice, Poland.
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jarzab
authors.affiliation: Department of Tumor Pathology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Gliwice Branch, Gliwice, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stobiecka
authors.affiliation: Department of Tumor Pathology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Gliwice Branch, Gliwice, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chmielik
authors.affiliation: Department of Tumor Pathology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Gliwice Branch, Gliwice, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zembala-Nozynska
authors.affiliation: The Oncologic and Reconstructive Surgery Clinic, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Gliwice Branch, Gliwice, Poland.
authors.forename: Stanislaw
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Poltorak
authors.affiliation: The Oncologic and Reconstructive Surgery Clinic, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Gliwice Branch, Gliwice, Poland.
authors.forename: Aleksander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sacher
authors.affiliation: The Oncologic and Reconstructive Surgery Clinic, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Gliwice Branch, Gliwice, Poland.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maciejewski
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine and Endocrine Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Gliwice Branch, Gliwice, Poland.
authors.forename: Jadwiga
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zebracka-Gala
authors.affiliation: Department of Tumor Pathology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Gliwice Branch, Gliwice, Poland.
authors.forename: Dariusz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine and Endocrine Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Gliwice Branch, Gliwice, Poland.
authors.forename: Malgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oczko-Wojciechowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine and Endocrine Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Gliwice Branch, Gliwice, Poland.
authors.forename: Daria
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Handkiewicz-Junak
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine and Endocrine Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Gliwice Branch, Gliwice, Poland.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jarzab
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020125:Mutation, Missense; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / Q000235:genetics*; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D000077273:Thyroid Cancer, Papillary; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D014633:Valine / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018698:Glutamic Acid; C482119:BRAF protein, human; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf; D014633:Valine