en Endocrinology Endocrinology Original Research Original Research <span style="font-size:13pt"><span style="text-justify:kashida"><span style="text-kashida:0%"><span style="text-autospace:none"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="font-style:italic"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal">Background: </span></span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal">Papillary thyroid carcinoma is the most frequent type of thyroid cancer. The BRAF^V600E mutation is associated with tumor progression. We explored the utility of the BRAF molecular testing on fine needle aspiration fixed specimens of patients with confirmed diagnoses of papillary thyroid carcinoma.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:13pt"><span style="text-justify:kashida"><span style="text-kashida:0%"><span style="text-autospace:none"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="font-style:italic"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal">&nbsp;&nbsp; Methods:</span></span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal"> Fixed thyroid cytology slide specimens of 19 patients with Bethesda II to VI reports were used to detect BRAF^V600E&nbsp;mutation&nbsp;by pyrosequencing&nbsp;of&nbsp;extracted DNA. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:13pt"><span style="text-justify:kashida"><span style="text-kashida:0%"><span style="text-autospace:none"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="font-style:italic"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal">&nbsp;&nbsp; Results: </span></span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal">BRAF^V600E mutation was detected in 25% of the specimens with Bethesda category III and IV nodules and in 73% of the nodules with Bethesda category V and VI. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:13pt"><span style="text-justify:kashida"><span style="text-kashida:0%"><span style="text-autospace:none"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="font-style:italic"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal">&nbsp;&nbsp; Conclusion:</span></span></b> <span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal">BRAF mutation analysis can be performed on fixed fine needle aspiration cytology specimens. Although the frequency of the mutation is higher in specimens with higher Bethesda category scores, it could support clinical decision-making in thyroid nodules with intermediate Bethesda category scores.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:13pt"><span style="text-justify:kashida"><span style="text-kashida:0%"><span style="text-autospace:none"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="font-style:italic"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> &nbsp; Papillary Thyroid Cancer, Fine Needle Aspiration, BRAFV600E 578 581 http://mjiri.iums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-8659-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Sara Cheraghi cheraghi_sa@ymail.com 200319475328460089430 200319475328460089430 No Endocrine Research Center, Institute of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Maryam Honardoost marymail79@gmail.com 200319475328460089431 200319475328460089431 No Fereshteh Abdolmaleki fe.abdolmaleki@gmail.com 200319475328460089432 200319475328460089432 No Mohammad E. Khamseh khamseh.m@iums.ac.ir 200319475328460089433 200319475328460089433 Yes Endocrine Research Center, Institute of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran