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Anaplastic Carcinoma of the Thyroid Arising More Often from Follicular Carcinoma than Papillary Carcinoma

  • Endocrine Tumors
  • Published:
Annals of Surgical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC), a rare and highly malignant tumor, has long been thought to arise from well-differentiated carcinoma (WDC) such as follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) and papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). The purpose of this study was to test this notion by examining whether and, if so, how often ATC harbors the oncogenes that are commonly associated with WDC, such as RAS in FTC and BRAF in PTC.

Methods

We analyzed the mutation hotspots of BRAF (codon 600) and N-, K-, and H-RAS (codons 12, 13, and 61) in 16 ATCs. We also examined two genes, PIK3CA (exons 9 and 20) and TP53 (exons 5–9), both of which have been reported in ATCs.

Results

The results showed that approximately 31% (5 of 16) of ATCs harbored N-RAS mutation, 6% (1 of 16) had mutated BRAF, and approximately 56% (9 of 16) had mutated TP53. As to the three ATCs that had coexisted PTCs, mutated BRAF was detected in all PTC components but only in one ATC, while mutated PIK3CA was found in only one PTC component but not in the ATC.

Conclusion

A number of ATCs arise from WDCs, more often from RAS-mutant tumors than from BRAF-mutant tumors, implying that particular attention should be paid to the WDC harboring RAS mutation.

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Acknowledgment

This study was supported in part by grants from National Science Council (NSC95-2320-B-195-001).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, No. 160, Sec. 3, Chungkang Road, Taichung, Taiwan

    Hwei-Ming Wang MD

  2. Department of Medical Research, Mackay Memorial Hospital, No. 45, Minsheng Road, Tamshui, Taipei, Taiwan

    Yu-Wen Huang MS

  3. Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, No. 222, Maijin Road, Keelung, Taiwan

    Jen-Seng Huang MD & Cheng-Hsu Wang MD

  4. Division of Medical Oncology, Kuang Tien General Hospital, No. 117, Shatian Road, Shalu, Taichung, Taiwan

    Victor C. Kok MD

  5. Department of General Surgery, E-da Hospital, No. 1, Yida Road, Yanchau, Kaoshiung, Taiwan

    Chao-Ming Hung MD

  6. Department of Surgery, Ten-Chan Hospital, No. 155, Yanping Road, Chungli, Taoyuan, Taiwan

    Han-Ming Chen MD

  7. Department of Pathology, Mackay Memorial Hospital, No. 45, Minsheng Road, Tamshui, Taipei, Taiwan

    Chin-Yuan Tzen MD, PhD

  8. Mackay Medicine, Nursing and Management College, No. 92, Shengjing Road, Beitou, Taipei, Taiwan

    Chin-Yuan Tzen MD, PhD

  9. National Taipei College of Nursing, No. 365, Minte Road, Beitou, Taipei, Taiwan

    Chin-Yuan Tzen MD, PhD

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  1. Hwei-Ming Wang MD
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  2. Yu-Wen Huang MS
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  3. Jen-Seng Huang MD
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  8. Chin-Yuan Tzen MD, PhD
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Correspondence to Chin-Yuan Tzen MD, PhD.

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Wang, HM., Huang, YW., Huang, JS. et al. Anaplastic Carcinoma of the Thyroid Arising More Often from Follicular Carcinoma than Papillary Carcinoma. Ann Surg Oncol 14, 3011–3018 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-007-9503-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-007-9503-8

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