Pre-operative Genetic Testing May Improve Treatment For Thyroid Cancer Patients, Pitt Study Finds

Main Category: Cancer / Oncology
Also Included In: Genetics
Article Date: 07 May 2009 - 2:00 PDT

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Knowing prior to surgery whether a patient's thyroid cancer harbors a specific gene mutation leads to tailored treatments and improved outcomes, according to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Results of the study were presented today at the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons annual meeting in Madison, Wisconsin.

According to Linwah Yip, M.D., a surgical oncologist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's (UPMC) Multidisciplinary Thyroid Center, malignant thyroid tumors can contain a mutation in a gene known as BRAF, and BRAF-positive cancers are more likely to recur.

"For that reason, using genetic testing to establish BRAF status prior to surgery has important implications for the type and extent of surgery the patients need," she explained. "BRAF-positive thyroid cancer patients should have the entire thyroid gland removed instead of having a partial thyroidectomy."

Dr. Yip and her colleagues reviewed 206 papillary thyroid cancer cases of which 106 were BRAF-positive and 100 were BRAF-negative. In 19 percent of the cases, the surgical plan would have changed if BRAF status had been determined prior to surgery.

Papillary thyroid cancer is one of the most common forms of the disease, and it is considered very treatable. Approximately 37,000 people are diagnosed with the disease each year. Dr. Yip said patients with a BRAF mutation face a more aggressive disease, which is why testing the tumor for gene mutations is important.

"In the past, we've proven that this mutation is 100 percent predictive of thyroid cancer. Through genetic testing, we can ensure patients receive the right operation the first time, reducing recurrences and additional surgeries," said Dr. Yip. "The UPMC Multidisciplinary Thyroid Center routinely conducts BRAF testing on all of our patients in order to streamline their treatment."

As one of the nation's leading academic centers for biomedical research, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine integrates advanced technology with basic science across a broad range of disciplines in a continuous quest to harness the power of new knowledge and improve the human condition. Driven mainly by the School of Medicine and its affiliates, Pitt has ranked among the top 10 recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health since 1997 and now ranks fifth in the nation, according to preliminary data for fiscal year 2008. Likewise, the School of Medicine is equally committed to advancing the quality and strength of its medical and graduate education programs, for which it is recognized as an innovative leader, and to training highly skilled, compassionate clinicians and creative scientists well-equipped to engage in world-class research. The School of Medicine is the academic partner of UPMC, which has collaborated with the University to raise the standard of medical excellence in Pittsburgh and to position health care as a driving force behind the region's economy. For more information about the School of Medicine, see http://www.medschool.pitt.edu.

Source
The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine