title: Follicular cell thyroid neoplasia: insights from genomics and The Cancer Genome Atlas research network.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present review is focused on the recently published study on the genomics of papillary thyroid carcinoma performed by The Cancer Genome Atlas Research Network and its implications for the follicular variant of papillary carcinoma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Cancer Genome Atlas study of papillary thyroid carcinoma comprehensively examined the cancer genome of nearly 500 primary tumors. Using a highly integrated bioinformatic analysis, papillary carcinoma was shown at the genomic level to consist of two highly distinct classes that reflected both tumor histology and underlying genotype. Tumors with true papillary architecture were dominated by BRAF(V600E) mutations and RET kinase fusions and were designated as BRAF(V600E)-like. Tumors with follicular architecture were conversely dominated by RAS mutations and were designated as RAS-like. Given the strong genotype:phenotype correlation known to be present in thyroid cancer, the separation of BRAF(V600E)-like and RAS-like tumors has profound implications for its classification, especially the follicular variant of papillary carcinoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The recent genomic characterization of papillary thyroid carcinoma is challenging the established pathological classification of thyroid cancer with significance for the care of patients.
authors.affiliation: aDepartment of Pathology bDepartment of Internal Medicine cUniversity of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Giordano
mesh_terms: D002277:Carcinoma / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary; D015894:Genome, Human; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / Q000235:genetics; D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret / Q000235:genetics; D000077273:Thyroid Cancer, Papillary; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D018631:ras Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret; C099282:RET protein, human; C482119:BRAF protein, human; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf; D018631:ras Proteins