Hashimoto thyroiditis interfered with BRAF V600E mutation in papillary thyroid cancer

AbstractPurposeTo investigate the possibly predictive role of BRAF V600E mutation and thyroid-relevant indexes on papillary thyroid cancer (PTC).Methods1139 patients of PTC were included in this retrospective study. The pathological results, demographic characteristics data, BRAF V600E mutation, and serum examination of thyroid were analyzed by Chi‐square tests and logistic regressions.ResultsThe patients at a high level of thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb), thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb), or Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) had lower rates of BRAF V600E mutation. Elevated thyroglobulin was associated with a higher rate of macro-carcinoma regardless of the mutation statuses (P<0.001), extrathyroidal invasion (P = 0.026), and lymph node metastases (P = 0.020) in a non-mutation group. The rates of macro-carcinoma and extrathyroidal invasion increased with body mass index (P<0.05). Abnormally high TgAb decreased the occurrence of multiple lesions (P = 0.014). Obesity, smoking, and high thyroglobulin increased the rate of macro-carcinoma (P<0.05), and obesity slightly fostered extrathyroidal invasion (P=0.005). The young and male patients were at elevated risk of lymph node metastases (P<0.001). There was no statistical significance in major features of PTC between the different statuseses of BRAF V600E mutation (P>0.05).ConclusionBRAF V600E mutation and HT interfered with each other in PTC. HT manifested a protective role against the progression of this cancer in the early period, but the mutation didn't impact the features. The tumor load was reflected by thyroglobulin and body mass index.