BRAFV600E mutation in fine-needle aspiration aspirates: Association with poorer prognostic factors in larger papillary thyroid carcinomas.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have shown that BRAF(V600E) mutation is associated with poor prognostic factors in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). However, there are no studies about the association of the BRAF(V600E) mutation with poor prognostic factors according to tumor size in PTC.
METHODS: We investigated the prevalence of the BRAF(V600E) mutation and its association with prognostic factors according to tumor size of PTC. BRAF(V600E) mutation status was assessed in thyroid fine-needle aspiration (FNA) specimens from 605 patients before thyroidectomy for PTC, and its association with postoperative clinicopathologic factors was evaluated.
RESULTS: The overall prevalence of the BRAF(V600E) mutation was 67%, and larger tumors more often had the BRAF(V600E) mutation (p for trend < .05). The BRAF(V600E) mutation was significantly associated with male sex, tumor size, extrathyroidal invasion, nodal metastasis, and advanced tumor stage (p < .05). There was a significant size-dependent relationship between the presence of the BRAF(V600E) mutation and extrathyroidal invasion, nodal metastasis, and advanced tumor stage (p for trend < .05).
CONCLUSION: The prevalence of the BRAF(V600E) mutation increased with increased tumor size. Preoperative FNA-detected BRAF(V600E) mutation was associated with poor prognostic factors, and the association was stronger in larger tumors.