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Updated: May 22, 2026
06:08
Establishment and Characterization of Patient-Derived Xenograft Models of Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma and Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Published on: June 2, 2023
Thyroid carcinoma-associated genetic mutations also occur in thyroid lymphomas
Nidhi Aggarwal1, Steven H Swerdlow, Lindsey M Kelly
1Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Summary
BRAF and NRAS mutations are present in some thyroid lymphomas, not just carcinomas. This finding is crucial for accurate thyroid cancer diagnosis and may reveal new therapeutic targets for lymphoma.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Pathology
- Genetics
Background:
- Molecular testing for mitogen-associated protein kinase pathway mutations aids thyroid carcinoma diagnosis.
- The prevalence of these mutations in thyroid lymphomas remains uncharacterized.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the frequency of BRAF, NRAS, HRAS, and KRAS mutations in thyroid lymphomas.
- To correlate mutational status with clinical, pathological, cytogenetic, and immunophenotypic features.
- To assess for PAX8/PPARγ translocations in a subset of cases.
Main Methods:
- Somatic mutation analysis of BRAF, NRAS, HRAS, and KRAS genes in 33 thyroid lymphomas.
- Testing for PAX8/PPARγ translocations in 11 selected cases.
- Correlation of molecular findings with clinicopathological data.
Main Results:
- BRAF mutations were found in 24% of diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCL).
- NRAS mutations were identified in 8% of non-germinal center DLBCL.
- No BRAF or NRAS mutations were detected in extranodal marginal-zone lymphomas or follicular lymphomas.
- HRAS, KRAS mutations, and PAX8/PPARγ translocations were absent in all cases.
Conclusions:
- BRAF and NRAS mutations can occur in thyroid lymphomas, necessitating their consideration in differential diagnoses, especially in preoperative thyroid aspirates.
- Aberrations in the mitogen-associated protein kinase pathway may contribute to the pathogenesis of thyroid DLBCL, suggesting potential therapeutic avenues.
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