Recent developments in the molecular biology of the thyroid

Abstract

Recent years have been characterized by a significant expansion in our understanding of the molecular biology of the thyroid. Most common molecular alterations in all major types of thyroid tumors are discussed in this chapter, with emphasis on their incidence, biologic effects, phenotypic correlations, and association with tumor behavior. Some of these molecular alterations can be used as diagnostic markers, as markers of tumor aggressiveness, such as BRAF mutations that are frequently found in papillary carcinomas, and as potential targets for molecular therapies of thyroid cancer. © 2010 Springer-Verlag New York.