The Effect of BRAF ^V600E Mutation on Lymph Node Involvement in Papillary Thyroid Cancer

Abstract

Background: Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is the most common well-differentiated thyroid cancer. Lymph node (LN) metastasis is frequently seen in PTC. The effect of BRAFV^600E mutation on PTC-associated LN metastasis has not been clearly established. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the effect of the BRAFV^600E mutation in patients with PTC on regional LN metastasis.

Materials and Methods: Between January 2013 and 2017, sixty-three PTC patients who underwent central lymph node dissection were included into the study. The patients were divided into two groups according to the pathology results of the LN dissection, and these groups were compared for positive BRAFV600E mutations and other clinicopathological findings.

Results: BRAFV^600E mutation was found to be more significant in the pLN1 group (p= 0.005). Multivariate analysis revealed that nodule size, microcalcifications, and BRAFV600E mutation were associated with lymph node metastasis independent of other parameters. ROC analysis also evaluated the adequacy of the BRAFV^600E mutation in predicting the presence of LN involvement. AUC: 0.738 (95%CI:0.6110.866,p: 0.002).

Conclusion: In our study, independent of other parameters, BRAFV^600E gene mutation was found to be effective on lymph node involvement.

Ethics committee approval was received for this study from Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital Ethics Committee 2015/649.

Externally peer-reviewed.

Concept - S.Ş., Design - S.Ş., E.M.; Supervision - G.D., E.M.; Resource - S.Ş.; Materials - E.M.; Data Collection and/or Processing - S.Ş., E.M., B.C., T.B.; Analysis and Interpretation - S.Ş., E.M.; Literature Review - G.D.; Writing Manuscript - S.Ş.; Critical Reviews - E.M.

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

The authors declared that this study has received no financial support.