SAT516 Impact Of The Braf V600E Gene Mutation In Patients With Papillary Thyroid Cancer From Northern Ecuadorian Andes

Abstract

Abstract Disclosure: A.P. Solis Pazmiño: None. T. Cardenas: None. J. Cucalon: None. G. Jaramillo-Koupermann: None. G. Galvez: None. C. Reyes: None. J. Salazar- Vega: None. IntroductionThe incidence of thyroid cancer (TC) is increasing worldwide. Most new TC cases are papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). Ideally, the individualization of treatment decisions should not only be based on the context and values of the patient but also on the biology of the tumor. Among them, BRAF V600E + TERT has been associated with aggressive clinic-pathologic outcomes, including tumor recurrence and mortality. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of the BRAFV600E mutation in PTC patients from the northern Ecuadorian Andes.MethodsA retrospective cohort study of 193 tumors, was classified according to the TNM system (AJCC 7th edition) and the patients were managed based on the 2015 ATA guidelines from June 2016 to December 2019 in Hospital Eugenio Espejo, Quito-Ecuador. PTC genomic DNA from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue was analyzed for exon 15 of the BRAF oncogene by Sanger Sequencing.ResultsFrom 193 patients included, 146 were positive for the mutation (75.6%), and 47 were wild type (24.4%). In the bivariate analysis, the mutation was significantly associated with the presence of distant metastasis (p = 0.02), and it was also a predictor of distant metastasis (odds ratio [OR], 4.1; 95% CI 1.5 - 10.8). There was no significant association between BRAF positivity with demographic variables (age, gender, BMI, altitude), or with tumor characteristics (tumor size, focality, aggressive/nonaggressive variant, lymph node metastases, ACJJ stage, thyroglobulin or iodotherapy values).ConclusionIt has been proposed that patients harboring the mutation be managed more aggressively in the early stages, however, we conclude that the impact of BRAF V600E on PTC is still controversial. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of its kind carried out in the Ecuadorian population. Studies involving massive sequencing and prospective clinical correlation are needed in the future. KEYWORDS: Papillary thyroid carcinoma, BRAF V600E mutation, distant metastasis. Presentation Date: Saturday, June 17, 2023