Article Figures & Data
Figures
- FIGURE 1.
Cellular differentiation and diagnostic/prognostic implications.
- FIGURE 2.
Key molecular signaling pathways involved in thyroid cancer initiation and progression. (Left) MAPK pathway, which is activated by mutations in RET, RAS, and BRAF. (Right) Pathways involved in tumor progression, including PI3K/AKT, p53 tumor suppressor, and TERT. Blue boxes represent molecular targets for therapies approved by Food and Drug Administration. ERK = extracellular-signal–regulated kinase; MEK = mitogen/extracellular-signal–regulated kinase; mTOR = mammalian target of rapamycin; PTEN = phosphatase and tensin homolog mutation; p53 = Tp53 or tumor protein; RAF = rapidly accelerated fibrosarcoma; RAS = rat sarcoma point mutations; RET = rearrangement during transfection; TERT = telomerase reverse transcriptase. (Reprinted with permission of (6).)
- FIGURE 3.
Thyroid hormone synthesis negative-feedback loop. Arrow with plus sign indicates stimulation. Arrow with minus sign indicates inhibition. T3 = triiodothyronine; T4 = tetraiodothyronine; TRH = TSH-releasing hormone.
Tables
Name Abbreviation Mitogen-activated protein kinase MAPK Rearrangement during transfection/papillary thyroid cancer mutations RET/PTC Rat sarcoma point mutations RAS B-rapidly accelerated fibrosarcoma BRAF Telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter TERT Tumor protein Tp53 Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted from chromosome 10 PTEN Genetic mutation Cancers displaying genetic mutation Prognostic significance BRAF PTC (BRAF V660E), PDTC, ATC No clear consensus on prognostic significance; linked to extrathyroidal invasion, lymph node metastasis, vascular invasion, advanced tumor stage in primary tumor, and multifocality; linked to cellular dedifferentiation; linked to loss of iodine avidity; upregulates platelet-derived growth factor; upregulates vascular endothelial growth factor PTEN Differentiated thyroid cancers, PDTC Uncontrolled cell growth and proliferation RAS PTC, PTC-FV, FTC, PDTC, ATC RAS mutations alone likely associated with limited aggressiveness RET/PTC rearrangements PTC (adult and pediatric), PTC-FV, FTC Not fully established; RET/PTC1 does not correlate with clinical pathologic features; RET/PTC3 is associated greater primary tumor size, cellular variations, and more advanced stage at diagnosis TERT 90% of human cancers, differentiated thyroid cancers, PDTC, ATC Restores telomerase complex activity (prevents apoptosis); promotes epithelial mesenchymal transition, which promotes metastasis and cellular dedifferentiation Tp53 PTC, FTC, PDTC, ATC Extrathyroidal extension; distant metastasis; potentially promotes cellular dedifferentiation BRAF = B-rapidly accelerated fibrosarcoma mutation; PTEN = phosphatase and tensin homolog mutation; RAS = rat sarcoma point mutation; PTC-FV = follicular variant of papillary thyroid cancer; RET/PTC = rearrangement during transfection/papillary thyroid cancer (RET/PTC) mutation; TERT = telomerase reverse transcriptase mutation.
Abbreviation Definition FGF Fibroblast growth factor FLT-3 Type III receptor tyrosine kinase KIT Type of receptor tyrosine kinase and type of tumor marker MEK Mitogen/extracellular signal-regulated kinase mTOR Mammalian target of rapamycin PDGFα Platelet-derived growth factor α PDGFRβ Platelet-derived growth factor receptor β PPARγ Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ RET Rearrangement during transfection RET/PTC Rearrangement during transfection/papillary thyroid cancer VEGFR Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor
