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RET activation and clinicopathologic features in poorly differentiated thyroid tumors
Massimo Santoro1, Mauro Papotti, Gennaro Chiappetta
1Centro di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Dipartimento di Biologia e Patologia Cellulare e Molecolare, Università di Napoli Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy.
The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
|January 15, 2002
Summary
RET/PTC rearrangement is uncommon in poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma (PDC) and does not impact patient survival. Poor survival in PDC is linked to factors like age, sex, and tumor invasion, not RET activation.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Endocrinology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Poorly differentiated carcinoma of the thyroid gland (PDC) presents intermediate characteristics between well-differentiated and anaplastic thyroid cancers.
- PDCs are associated with significant morbidity and mortality, unlike well-differentiated tumors.
- The prevalence and prognostic significance of RET/PTC rearrangement in thyroid PDC remain largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of RET/PTC rearrangement in thyroid PDCs.
- To investigate the impact of RET/PTC rearrangement on patient outcomes.
- To identify prognostically relevant clinicopathologic parameters in thyroid PDC.
Main Methods:
- Investigated a series of 62 PDCs.
- Analyzed RET/PTC rearrangement using RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry.
- Performed survival analysis correlating clinicopathologic parameters with patient outcomes.
Main Results:
- RET/PTC rearrangement was identified in 12.9% of PDCs.
- RET/PTC was more frequent in PDCs evolving from well-differentiated papillary carcinoma (20%).
- Poor survival was associated with older age, male sex, extrathyroidal invasion, oncocytic features with insular growth, and distant metastases, but not RET activation.
Conclusions:
- RET/PTC rearrangement has a limited role in the progression to poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma.
- Clinicopathologic factors, rather than RET activation, are key determinants of poor survival in thyroid PDC.