Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
3.3
2.8
Journals
Current Oncology
Special Issues
2nd Edition: Molecular Testing for Thyroid Nodules and Cancer
share announcement

2nd Edition: Molecular Testing for Thyroid Nodules and Cancer

A special issue of Current Oncology (ISSN 1718-7729).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (14 December 2024) | Viewed by 2856

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Marc P. Pusztaszeri

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pathology, Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
Interests: thyroid cancer; papillary thyroid carcinoma; poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma; anaplastic thyroid carcinoma; molecular pathology; cytology; fine needle aspiration; histopathology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Richard J. Payne

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
Interests: surgery of the thyroid and parathyroid glands
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the last decade, molecular testing for thyroid nodules and cancers has made significant progress, and it is able to identify thyroid cancer-related molecular markers which can then be applied clinically for improved decision making in different settings, representing a powerful diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive tool when used judiciously in conjunction with clinical, pathological, and radiological data. The main application of molecular testing is for thyroid nodules with indeterminate cytology (Bethesda III or IV), which represent 10–30% of thyroid nodules. For these indeterminate thyroid nodules, molecular testing is increasingly used in North America to predict the probability of cancer and help guide management, including surveillance for nodules that are likely benign or surgery for nodules that are likely malignant. For the latter nodules, molecular testing may also inform the extent of surgical management (lobectomy vs. total thyroidectomy) by predicting the cancer type and risk of cancer recurrence. Similarly, molecular testing may also be considered for thyroid nodules that are suspicious or positive for malignancy upon cytological examination (Bethesda V and VI) if the results are expected to impact patient management, including the timing and optimal extent of surgery. Finally, in patients with advanced thyroid cancer, including anaplastic thyroid carcinoma, molecular testing plays a critical role in identifying potential therapeutic targets, allowing for the consideration of neoadjuvant targeted therapy and redefining the role and timing of surgical intervention.

On the other hand, the various molecular testing platforms for thyroid nodules are still costly and not widely available, and data demonstrating significant clinical impacts and supporting their routine use in various clinical settings are still limited.

This Special Issue will include original articles and reviews that focus on key genetic alterations in thyroid nodules and cancers and the application of molecular testing with different platforms in the various clinical settings highlighted above.

You may choose our Joint Special Issue in Cancers.

We look forward to receiving your contribution.

Dr. Marc P. Pusztaszeri
Dr. Richard J. Payne
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Current Oncology is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • thyroid nodules
  • thyroid cancer
  • molecular testing
  • cytology
  • fine needle aspiration
  • personalized medicine
  • mutations

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

17 pages, 2342 KiB  
Article
Folliculin (FLCN) in Thyroid Tumors: Incidence, Significance, and Role as a Driver Gene and Secondary Alteration
by Faisal A. Hassan, Camryn Slone, Robert J. McDonald, Julie C. Dueber, Adeel M. Ashraf, Melina J. Windon, Oliver J. Fackelmayer, Cortney Y. Lee, Therese J. Bocklage and Derek B. Allison
Curr. Oncol. 2025, 32(4), 224; https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol32040224 - 11 Apr 2025
Viewed by 376
Abstract
Thyroid carcinomas are driven by diverse molecular alterations, but the tumor suppressor gene folliculin (FLCN), best known for its role in Birt–Hogg–Dubé (BHD) syndrome, has received limited attention in thyroid tumors. Here, we describe two thyroid tumors with pathogenic FLCN alterations—one [...] Read more.
Thyroid carcinomas are driven by diverse molecular alterations, but the tumor suppressor gene folliculin (FLCN), best known for its role in Birt–Hogg–Dubé (BHD) syndrome, has received limited attention in thyroid tumors. Here, we describe two thyroid tumors with pathogenic FLCN alterations—one germline and one somatic—and analyze the broader prevalence and significance of FLCN in thyroid carcinomas using multiple large sequencing datasets, including ORIEN-AVATAR. Patient 1, with a germline FLCN mutation and a history of BHD syndrome, presented with a well-circumscribed oncocytic adenoma. Molecular testing confirmed biallelic FLCN inactivation, but no additional mutations or aggressive features were observed, and the patient remained disease-free post-thyroidectomy. Patient 2 harbored a somatic FLCN mutation in an oncocytic poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma, which exhibited extensive angioinvasion, high proliferative activity, and concurrent TP53 and RB1 mutations. The tumor progressed with metastatic disease despite multimodal treatment. Thyroid carcinomas revealed FLCN alterations in 1.1% of cases. Pathogenic mutations were rare but associated with oncocytic morphology, while homozygous deletions occurred more frequently in genomically unstable tumors, including anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. These findings suggest FLCN mutations may act as early oncogenic drivers in oncocytic thyroid neoplasms, while deletions represent secondary events in aggressive tumor evolution. The lack of FLCN coverage in standard thyroid molecular panels likely underestimates its clinical relevance. Including FLCN in genetic testing could improve tumor detection and characterization, particularly in BHD patients who may benefit from routine thyroid screening. Further studies are needed to clarify FLCN’s role in thyroid cancer pathogenesis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition: Molecular Testing for Thyroid Nodules and Cancer)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

8 pages, 1886 KiB  
Communication
Ki-67 Labelling Index as a Predictor of Invasive Features in Thyroid Cancer: Retrospective Analysis and Implications
by Raisa Chowdhury, Raihanah Alsayegh, Véronique-Isabelle Forest, Marc Philippe Pusztaszeri, Sabrina Daniela da Silva, Livia Florianova and Richard J. Payne
Curr. Oncol. 2024, 31(7), 4030-4037; https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol31070300 - 17 Jul 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1951
Abstract
Background: Ki-67 immunostaining is commonly used in neuroendocrine tumors to estimate the proliferative index and for grading. This study investigates its association with the invasiveness of follicular-derived thyroid carcinomas (TCs). Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients with TC at three McGill University teaching [...] Read more.
Background: Ki-67 immunostaining is commonly used in neuroendocrine tumors to estimate the proliferative index and for grading. This study investigates its association with the invasiveness of follicular-derived thyroid carcinomas (TCs). Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients with TC at three McGill University teaching hospitals between January 2018 and November 2023 was conducted. The inclusion criteria included patients with malignant thyroid tumors and accessible Ki-67 LI data from final pathology specimens. The data collected included patient demographics, Ki-67 LI values, and different invasiveness attributes, such as molecular mutations, the histological subtype, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), extrathyroidal extension (ETE), and positive lymph nodes (LNs). Results: In total, 212 patients met the inclusion criteria, of which 80.7% were females and 19.3% were males. The Ki-67 LI ranged from 1% to 30%, with the majority of the cases within the range of 1–15%. A significant association was observed between higher Ki-67 LI and high-risk histological subtypes of thyroid carcinoma (p < 0.001). Similarly, Ki-67 LI was significantly associated with LVI and positive LN metastasis (p < 0.001 and p = 0.036, respectively). However, no significant association was found between the Ki-67 LI and gene mutations or ETE (p = 0.133 and p = 0.190, respectively). Using percentiles to establish a cutoff, patients with a Ki-67 LI higher than 6.7 showed a higher likelihood of being associated with invasive features. Conclusion: Elevated Ki-67 LI can serve as an indicator of aggressiveness in follicular-derived TC, especially when associated with distinct histological subtypes, LVI and positive LNs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition: Molecular Testing for Thyroid Nodules and Cancer)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-2
Back to TopTop