BACKGROUND RET/PTC rearrangements have been identified as a specific genetic event in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). We conducted this meta-analysis to identify an enriched population who were more likely to occur RET/PTC fusion genes. METHODS All relevant studies in the PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases were searched up to June 2015. The studies found were screened according to o...

In papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs), rearrangements of the RET receptor (RET/PTC) and activating mutations in the BRAF or RAS oncogenes are mutually exclusive. Here we show that the 3 proteins function along a linear oncogenic signaling cascade in which RET/PTC induces RAS-dependent BRAF activation and RAS- and BRAF-dependent ERK activation. Adoptive activation of the RET/PTC-RAS-BRAF axis i...

PURPOSE Papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTC) are the most common type of thyroid malignancy with one of the two mutations, RET/PTC rearrangement or BRAF mutation. Both mutations are able to activate the MEK/ERK signaling transduction pathway and result in the activation of transcription factors that regulate cellular proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Sorafenib (Nexavar, BAY 43-9006) ...

BACKGROUND Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), which may be sporadic (95%) or familial (5%), has a prevalence adjusted for age in the general population of 1:100 000. Somatic rearrangements of the RET proto-oncogene are present in up to 66% of sporadic tumours, while they are rarely found in familial cases. PURPOSE In order to determine if some variants of this gene, or a combination of them, ...

During analysis of RET/PTC rearrangements in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) among atomic bomb survivors, a cDNA fragment of a novel type of RET rearrangement was identified in a PTC patient exposed to a high radiation dose using the improved 5' RACE method. This gene resulted from the fusion of the 3' portion of RET containing tyrosine kinase domain to the 5' portion of the acyl-coenzyme A bind...

BACKGROUND Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), the most common type of thyroid malignancy, usually possesses mutations, either RET/PTC rearrangement or BRAF mutation. Both mutations can activate the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase/extracellular signal-related kinase signaling transduction pathway, which results in activation of transcription factors that regulate cellular proliferation, ...

BACKGROUND Oncocytic carcinomas (Hürthle cell carcinomas [HCCs]) are commonly considered a subgroup of follicular thyroid carcinomas (FTCs). Recent characterization of a subgroup of "Hürthle cell" papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs) was based on the identification of PTC-specific RET hybrid oncogenes in HCCs. METHODS We examined 27 HCCs, 4 oxyphilic FTCs, 5 oxyphilic PTCs, 2 poorly differenti...

Some benign thyroid nodules are stationary in size over time while others grow progressively, indicating that there is a broad individual variability within benign nodules. To date, it is very difficult to predict if a benign thyroid nodule will grow in size and which will be its trend over time. While BRAF(V600E) is a highly specific marker of thyroid cancer, RET rearrangements have been discl...