Use of the BRAF V600E mutation in fine-needle aspirations of thyroid nodules

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic value of BRAF V600E mutation screening of ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) specimens in patients with thyroid nodule. Methods The BRAF V600E mutation status were assessed in FNA specimens of 104 patients with thyroid nodules before operations. The BRAF mutation status, clinical, and pathology records of the patients were reviewed and the associations between these characteristics and papillary thyroid cancer(PTC) were analyzed. Results Seventy-one PTC and 14 benign thyroid nodules were included in this study. BRAF V600E mutations were found in 57/71(80%) PTC. All benign thyroid nodules had no BRAF V600E mutation. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of BRAF V600E mutations in differentiation between PTC and benign thyroid nodules were 80%, 100%, 100% and 50% (P<0.001). In 44 patients with PTC who underwent surgery, the central compartment lymph node metastases and extrathyroidal invasion were not significantly different between BRAF-positive and BRAF-negative PTC(P=0.283 and 0.307). Conclusions BRAF V600E mutation may be a potential tool to facilitate ultrasound in diagnosis of PTC. In patients with PTC, the presence of the BRAFV600E mutation was not significantly associated with prognostic factors. Key words: Ultrasonography; Thyroid neoplasms; Biopsy, fine-needle; BRAF mutation