The association between BMI and BRAFV600E mutation may differ by primary tumor size

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Genetics
• Epidemiology

Background:

• High body mass index (BMI) is a known risk factor for thyroid carcinoma.
• The relationship between BMI and specific genetic mutations, such as BRAFV600E, in thyroid cancer remains under investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between high BMI and the presence of the BRAFV600E mutation in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients.
• To determine if tumor size modifies the relationship between BMI and BRAFV600E mutation status.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 6438 PTC patients who underwent BRAFV600E mutation testing.
• Logistic regression and restricted cubic spline plots were used to model the association between BMI and BRAFV600E mutation.
• Patients were stratified based on primary tumor size (≤1 cm vs. >1 cm).

Main Results:

• The BRAFV600E mutation was significantly associated with higher BMI in patients with primary tumors >1 cm (OR: 1.034; P = 0.029).
• No significant association between BMI and BRAFV600E mutation was found in patients with primary tumors ≤1 cm (OR: 1.007; P = 0.570).
• Gender was not a significant factor influencing this association in either group.

Conclusions:

• A higher BMI is positively associated with the BRAFV600E mutation in PTC patients with larger primary tumors (>1 cm).
• The association between BMI and BRAFV600E mutation status is dependent on the primary tumor size.
• These findings highlight the complex interplay between obesity, tumor characteristics, and genetic alterations in thyroid cancer.