Clinical Significance Of BRAF V600E Gene And Expression Of VEGF In Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Coexistent With Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis

Objective:To analyze BRAF V600E gene mutation and expression of VEGF in papillary thyroid cancer patients coexistent with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and its relationship with clinicopathological characteristicsMethods:In this study,a total of 78 PTC patients coexistent with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis who underwent surgical treatment in head and neck surgery of Cancer Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from January to December in 2013 were selected as observation group.77 patients with PTC in the same period were randomly selected as control group by SPSS statistical software.All patients’ clinical data and pathological specimens were collected.The BRAF V600E gene mutation and the expression of VEGF were detected by immunohistochemistry.The relationship between the BRAF V600E gene mutation and the expression of VEGF and the clinicopathological characteristics was analyzed.Results:A total of 155 patients were included in the study.The proportion of female patients in the observation group was higher(P=0.000).The preoperative mean TSH and mean ATG of the observation group which was significantly higher than that of the control group(4.41uIU/ml vs 2.22uIU/ml,P=0.041;580.6IU/ml vs 41.4IU/ml,P=0.000).There were no significant differences in tumor size,location,multifocal,capsular invasion and lymph node metastasis between the observation group and the control group(P>0.05).The mutation rate of BRAF V600E gene was 55.1%in the observation group and 68.8%in the control group.The mutation rate of BRAF V600E gene in the observation group was lower but had no statistical difference(P=0.079).The patients with BRAF V600E gene mutation in the observation group were younger than those in the control group(38.9 years vs 44.2 years,P=0.025).There were no significant differences in lymph node metastasis,tumor size,multifocal lesions and capsular invasion among the subgroups(P>0.05).The expression rate of VEGF was 30.8%in the observation group and 32.5%in the control group,with no statistical difference(P=0.820).When the expression of VEGF was positive,the average age of patients coexistent with HT was 40.4 years,the average age of patients without HT was 47.3 years,patients coexistent with HT was younger(P=0.028);the diameter of tumors in patients coexistent with HT was smaller than that in patients without HT(1cm vs 1.79cm,P=0.023).The incidence of membrane invasion in PTC+VEGF positive group was higher than that in PTC coexistent with HT+VEGF negative group(P=0.033).When the expression of VEGF was negative,the rate of lateral cervical lymph node metastasis in patients with HT was significantly higher than that in patients without HT(P=0.011).There was no significant difference in clinicopathological features between the other subgroups(P>0.05).Conclusion:Women coexistent with HT were more common in PTC patients,and the preoperative levels of ATG and TSH were higher than those in PTC patients without HT.HT had no significant effect on clinical and pathological characteristics of PTC patients,There was no significant difference in BRAF V600E gene mutation and expression of VEGF between PTC patients coexistent with HT and those with PTC alone.PTC patients coexistent with HT with BRAF V600E mutation are younger.When the expression of VEGF was positive,PTC patients coexistent with HT were younger and had smaller tumors.When the expression of VEGF is negative,PTC patients coexistent with HT are more likely to have lateral cervical lymph node metastasis.