Background: The genes RAS and BRAF have been shown to be frequently mutated in human thyroid carcinomas. The aim of this study was to genotype a cohort of 55 sporadic papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTC) and 44 sporadic medullary thyroid carcinomas (MTC) for the K-RAS codon 12 and BRAF codon 600 mutations.
Materials and methods: K-RAS and BRAF mutations were characterized by an enhanced polymerase chain reaction followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis (PCR-RFLP).
Results: The K-RAS codon 12 mutation was found in 54.5% of the PTC and 40.9% of the MTC cases tested. The BRAF V600E mutation was detected in 27.3% of the PTC and 68.2% of the MTC samples. No significant association between K-RAS and BRAF mutations and clinicopathological parameters was found.
Conclusion: These data indicate that K-RAS and BRAF mutations were a frequent genetic event in our samples of sporadic PTC and MTC.