BRAFV600E mutation associated with non-radioiodine-avid status in distant metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma.

PURPOSE

It was reported that BRAF mutation correlates with radioactive iodine refractory papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) in local recurrence, whereas its relationship with I uptake status in distant metastatic PTC remains uncertain. This prospective study tried to explore the association between I uptake in distant metastases (DM) of PTC and BRAF mutation status in their primary tumor.

METHODS

Seventy-three patients with DM were divided into BRAF mutation group (n = 19) and wild-type BRAF group (n = 54) according to the BRAF mutation status. After posttherapy I whole-body scan was performed, the relation between I uptake in DM, BRAF mutation status, and clinicopathological characteristics of 2 groups were compared.

RESULTS

The mean age of mutation group was older than that of the wild-type group (P < 0.05). In the mutation group, 16 patients (84.2%, 16 of 19) were found to be with non-iodine-avid DM, whereas in wild-type group, only 5.6% (3 of 54) were with non-iodine-avid DM. The sensitivity and specificity of using BRAF mutation for the identification of non-iodine-avid DM were 84.2% and 94.4%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

BRAF mutation in primary tumor might be a promising molecular marker to predict the status of I uptake in distal metastases.