Abstract:

Thyroid iodide-metabolizing genes are established markers for differentiation of thyroid carcinoma. The loss or downregulation of iodide-metabolizing genes represents progression of dedifferentiation of differentiated thyroid carcinoma, which results in the disability to take up and accumulate radioiodine (¹³¹I). Therefore, the research of redifferentiation is important for ¹³¹I therapy of thyroid carcinoma. BRAF gene mutation has been confirmed to be closely related to the dedifferentiation of papillary thyroid carcinoma. The research progress of redifferentiation of dedifferentiated thyroid carcinoma by up-regulation of thyroid iodide-metabolizing genes expression and suppression of BRAF mutation is reviewed in this paper.

Key words: dedifferentiated thyroid carcinoma, radioiodine, thyroid iodide-metabolizing gene, BRAF gene mutation