Detection of RAS p.Q61R by Immunohistochemistry in Practice: A Clinicopathologic Study of 217 Thyroid Nodules with Molecular Correlates

Abstract

RAS p.Q61R is the most prevalent hot-spot mutation in RAS and RAS-like mutated thyroid nodules. A few studies evaluated RAS p.Q61R by immunohistochemistry (RASQ61R-IHC). We performed a retrospective study of an institutional cohort of 150 patients with 217 thyroid lesions tested for RASQ61R-IHC, including clinical, cytologic and molecular data. RASQ61R-IHC was performed on 217 nodules (18% positive, 80% negative, and 2% equivocal). RAS p.Q61R was identified in 76% (n = 42), followed by RAS p.Q61K (15%; n = 8), and RAS p.G13R (5%; n = 3). NRAS p.Q61R isoform was the most common (44%; n = 15), followed by NRAS p.Q61K (17%; n = 6), KRAS p.Q61R (12%; n = 4), HRAS p.Q61R (12%; n = 4), HRAS p.Q61K (6%; n = 2), HRAS p.G13R (6%; n = 2), and NRAS p.G13R (3%; n = 1). RASQ61R-IHC was positive in 47% of noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasms with papillary-like nuclear features (NIFTP; 17/36), 22% of follicular thyroid carcinomas (FTC; 5/23), 10% of follicular thyroid adenomas (FTA; 4/40), and 8% of papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTC; 9/112). Of PTC studied (n = 112), invasive encapsulated follicular variant (IEFVPTC; n = 16) was the only subtype with positive RASQ61R-IHC (56%; 9/16). Overall, 31% of RAS-mutated nodules were carcinomas (17/54); and of the carcinomas, 94% (16/17) were low-risk per American Thyroid Associated (ATA) criteria, with only a single case (6%; 1/17) considered ATA high-risk. No RAS-mutated tumors recurred, and none showed local or distant metastasis (with a follow-up of 0–10 months). We found that most RAS-mutated tumors are low-grade neoplasms. RASQ61R-IHC is a quick, cost-effective, and reliable way to detect RAS p.Q61R in follicular-patterned thyroid neoplasia and, when malignant, guide surveillance.