Search for molecular targets and development of integrated molecular and clinical risk classification using a large case series of thyroid cancer in Japan

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18H02635
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 49020:Human pathology-related
• Research Institution: Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research
• Principal Investigator: TAKEUCHI Kengo 公益財団法人がん研究会, がん研究所 分子標的病理プロジェクト, プロジェクトリーダー (40323612)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 杉谷 巌 日本医科大学, 大学院医学研究科, 大学院教授 (50465936)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 甲状腺癌 / ドライバー変異 / リスク分類

Outline of Final Research Achievements

With regard to the distribution of known driver mutations in papillary thyroid carcinoma in Japanese patients, BRAF V600E was found to be present in about 80%, NRAS Q61R in about 1%, and fusion gene in about 6% (driver mutation unknown: about 13%). In anaplastic carcinomas, BRAF V600E was found to be present in about 84% of cases.
In patients with 1- to 4-cm intrathyroidal papillary carcinoma (PTC), for which no clear indication for lobectomy (LT) or total thyroidectomy (TT) has been established, LT instead of TT can prevent overtreatment and reduce postoperative complications without compromising the outcome if the TERT promoter mutations are negative.

Free Research Field

人体病理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

日本人における甲状腺癌のドライバー遺伝子変異・分子標的profileを明らかにし、また詳細な臨床データと分子異常の統合解析により術式選択に関する「分子・臨床統合的リスク分類」を策定したことで、日本人の甲状腺癌診療成績の向上に資することができると考えられる。