Molecular Genetics of Thyroid Cancer in Children and Adolescents

Abstract

There has been a steady incorporation of powerful new molecular tools into the evaluation and management of thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer. With an increasing incidence of nodules and differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) being diagnosed in children and adolescents, oncogene data are providing insight into the clinical differences between pediatric and adult patients with histologically similar DTC. However, additional investment and efforts are needed to define the genomic landscape for pediatric DTC with the goal of improving preoperative diagnostic accuracy as well as stratifying treatment in an effort to reduce complications of therapy.

Keywords: Gene fusion; Indeterminate cytology; Molecular markers; Mutation; Oncogene; Thyroid cancer.