TERT Promoter Mutations and Tumor Persistence/Recurrence in Papillary Thyroid Cancer

PURPOSE: A telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter mutation was identified in thyroid cancer. This TERT promoter mutation is thought to be a prognostic molecular marker, because its association with tumor aggressiveness, persistence/recurrence, and disease-specific mortality in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) has been reported. In this study, we attempted to determine whether the impact of the TERT promoter mutation on PTC persistence/recurrence is independent of clinicopathological parameters. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using propensity score matching, 39 patients with PTC persistence or recurrence were matched with 35 patients without persistence or recurrence, with a similar age, sex, tumor size, multifocality, bilaterality, extrathyroidal extension, and lymph node metastasis. The TERT promoter and the BRAF V600E mutations were identified from PTC samples. RESULTS: The TERT promoter mutation was detected in 18% of PTC patients (13/74). No significant difference in the frequency of the TERT promoter mutation was observed between the persistence/recurrence group and the non-recurrence group. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the prognostic implications of the TERT promoter mutation are dependent on clinicopathological parameters.