Mutational Panels AsuragenmiR Inform (Austin, TX, USA) mutation analysis assay and Thyroid Cancer Mutation Panel by Quest Diagnostics (Madison, NJ, USA) are the two main commercially available mutational tests which test for known genetic alterations such as BRAF, RAS, RET/PTC, and PAX8/PPARγ. These mutational panels are highly specific for malignancy; however, due to the low overall frequency of these mutations in thyroid cancers, negative results do not rule out cancer. Therefore, mutational panel tests are considered a “rule-in” test. If a preoperative mutational test is positive, the nodule should be considered malignant, and total thyroidectomy should

be recommended.12,13 Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical Gene Expression Profiling The most widely known gene expression profiling test is Afirma Gene Expression Classifier (Veracyte, San Francisco, CA, USA), and, with its recent clinical validation by Alexander et al., Afirma Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical is already being utilized in many clinical settings. The Afirma Gene Expression Classifier (GEC) is an RNA-based assay that utilizes FNA samples to evaluate 167 molecular genes associated with benign nodules based on their proprietary algorithm. Unlike the mutational panel testing,

Afirma Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical testing is considered a “rule-out” test since the test has a high negative predictive value in distinguishing benign nodules. However, a positive result reported as “suspicious” carries only 38% risk of malignancy.14 In all, these molecular tests should be utilized judiciously and should be considered as a complementary diagnostic tool in the management of thyroid nodules. In the future, molecular testing could become more cost-effective and accurate as a diagnostic tool while providing prognostic

and therapeutic information. SURGICAL MANAGEMENT Papillary Thyroid Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical Cancer Total thyroidectomy is the gold standard for patients with a preoperative diagnosis of papillary thyroid cancer when the nodule is greater than 1 cm in size.15 Completion thyroidectomy is indicated in patients who have undergone prior lobectomy and are found on final pathology to have papillary thyroid cancer that is larger than 1 cm. The completion thyroidectomy should generally be performed within 6 months of the original procedure in order to minimize the risk of lymph node metastasis. On the other hand, a number of centers have demonstrated that low-risk patients with uninodular, large cancers that are confined to the thyroid gland Thalidomide can be treated with thyroid lobectomy or subtotal thyroidectomy with no compromise in oncological outcome. In cases of AZD0530 in vivo extra-thyroidal extension, all gross disease should be resected en bloc at the time of the initial operation. In the setting of suspected recurrent laryngeal nerve involvement, it is important to document the vocal cord function preoperatively with a direct laryngoscopy. At operation, the nerve should be dissected from the cancer whenever possible to preserve its function.