Role of NGS-based ThyroSeq Panel in Cancer Diagnosis in Thyroid Nodules
Role of NGS-based ThyroSeq Panel in Cancer Diagnosis in Thyroid Nodules
Recently, targeted next generation sequencing (NGS) platforms have been introduced that allow
 inexpensive testing for hundreds of mutational hotspots at the same time. A number of
 additional mutational markers in thyroid cancer have been identified. Highly promising
 markers associated with tumor prognosis have also been found. This multi-institutional study
 aims to validate the diagnostic use of mutational markers in thyroid nodules with
 indeterminate cytology.

 The proposed hypothesis is that a broad NGS-based genotyping of thyroid nodules using a large
 panel of mutational markers applied to thyroid FNA samples can provide an accurate cancer
 risk stratification in thyroid nodules.

 The performance of the panel will be tested in a multi-institutional double-blind prospective
 study of FNA samples from thyroid nodules with indeterminate cytology and available surgical
 outcome
Thyroid cancer is the fifth most common cancer type in women and the fastest growing cancer
 diagnosis in the U.S. In 2013, an estimated 60,000 new cases were diagnosed. However, thyroid
 nodules are much more common, particularly in woman and with increased age. The prevalence of
 palpable nodules in population-based studies is 3-4% and the prevalence of non-palpable
 nodules incidentally identified on imaging approaches 40-50% after the age of 60. Thyroid
 cancer is the primary clinical concern in patient with thyroid nodules, although only small
 proportion (~5%) of thyroid nodules is malignant . The diagnosis of thyroid cancer relies on
 cervical ultrasound and fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy with cytologic examination. FNA
 cytology provides a definitive diagnosis of benign or malignant thyroid disease in most
 cases, although in approximately 30% of nodules, FNA cytology cannot reliably rule out cancer
 and such cases are reported as indeterminate for malignancy. Because of the lack of a
 definitive diagnosis, most patients with indeterminate cytology undergo diagnostic surgery to
 establish histopathologic diagnosis. However, only 20-30% of such surgically resected thyroid
 nodules will prove to be malignant. It has been estimated that ~150,000 thyroid surgeries are
 performed in the U.S. for benign nodules due to inability to rule out cancer without surgery.
 Additionally, an indeterminate preoperative diagnosis does not always lead to the optimal
 initial surgical intervention for patients who have thyroid cancer, as many of them undergo a
 two-step surgery, i.e. thyroid lobectomy followed by completion total thyroidectomy. Both
 unnecessary and two-step surgeries can be avoided with a more accurate preoperative diagnosis
 of cancer in thyroid nodules.

 For patients who have signed an informed consent, the physician investigator will then
 perform a research needle wash. The syringe will be rinsed with a buffer solution to gather
 left over cells for the research sample. This FNA material will be collected for potential
 molecular testing into a collection tube that is stored at -20C.

 The first five samples acquired will be processed irrespective of cytologic diagnosis to
 evaluate the collection technique.

 Those samples that have indeterminate cytologic diagnosis (Bethesda III, VI, or V) and
 surgical outcome are submitted for molecular testing. (Sample will be given a code that
 de-identifies the sample before it is sent to the testing laboratory. The lab that will
 analyze specimens is a CLIA certified Pitt lab.)

 Molecular analysis is performed at the Pitt lab without knowing surgical outcome.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Patients that undergo a clinically diagnostic thyroid FNA

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Children

 -  pregnant women