Association of BRAF or TERT Promoter Mutations and Advanced Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

BACKGROUND/AIM: BRAF and TERT promoter mutations are associated with the poor prognosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma. This single-center retrospective study investigated the influence of these genes on advanced cases. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Advanced cases who underwent gene panel testing and cases who underwent complete resection were classified as groups A and C, respectively. The gene mutations were determined using gene panel testing or Sanger sequencing using tumor DNA. RESULTS: The study included 51 cases in group A and 44 cases in group C. In group A, all cases had unresectable lesions or distant metastasis; 82.4% of cases showed no accumulation of radioactive iodine in metastasis and 47.1% of cases were administered drug therapy. Meanwhile, all cases of group C did not have distant metastasis. The prevalence of TERT promoter mutations was significantly higher in group A compared to group C (70.6% vs. 18.2%, p<0.001). However, there was no significant difference in the prevalence of BRAF mutations between the two groups (86.3% vs. 90.9%). In Group C, disease-free survival was significantly shorter in patients harboring the TERT promoter mutations (p<0.001), despite no significant difference in that according to the BRAF mutation status. In addition, there was no significant difference in overall survival in group A according to the TERT promoter mutation status. CONCLUSION: Advanced papillary thyroid carcinoma was associated with the TERT promoter mutations, but not with BRAF mutation. Meanwhile, TERT promoter mutations did not affect overall survival among the advanced cases.