Presence of TERT ± BRAF V600E mutation is not a risk factor for the clinical management of patients with papillary thyroid microcarcinoma.

BACKGROUND

The management of papillary thyroid microcarcinomas with TERT ± BRAF V600E mutations remains controversial owing to their potential associations with tumor aggressiveness. This study evaluated the clinical implications of these mutations in management of patients with papillary thyroid microcarcinomas.

METHODS

Between June 2019 and October 2020, surgical specimens from 504 consecutive patients with papillary thyroid microcarcinomas were obtained at a tertiary hospital. The mutation statuses of TERT promoter and BRAF V600E were assessed by polymerase chain reaction. The prevalence and relationships of TERT ± BRAF V600E mutations with clinical, radiological, and pathological characteristics were evaluated.

RESULTS

Of 504 patients with papillary thyroid microcarcinomas, TERT ± BRAF V600E mutations were found in 3.2% (16/504). Of these 16 patients, 93.8% (15/16) of papillary thyroid microcarcinomas with TERT promoter mutations also harbored BRAF V600E mutations. Correlation analysis showed that TERT ± BRAF V600E mutations were not associated with aggressive clinical, radiological, or pathological features (P > .05). The presence of lymph node metastasis was not associated with mutation status (P = .834).

CONCLUSION

TERT ± BRAF V600E mutations in patients with papillary thyroid microcarcinomas are not associated with any unfavorable clinicopathological features, including lymph node metastasis status.