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

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.

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.

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.

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