London – Papillary thyroid carcinoma is the most common type of thyroid cancer and generally has a favorable clinical course. However, not all cases behave the same way, making early identification of high-risk patients crucial for choosing the most appropriate treatment.

A major international study, published in The Lancet Oncology and involving over 4,700 patients from ten countries across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, found that combining genetic profiling with traditional clinical assessments improves the prediction of disease progression.

Researchers focused on two genetic alterations involved in thyroid carcinogenesis: mutations in the BRAF and TERT genes. The presence of specific changes in these genes was linked to a more aggressive form of thyroid carcinoma. Patients carrying both mutations showed a higher risk, even when their cancer was initially considered “low-risk.”

“This shows that clinical information alone is sometimes insufficient to describe the true behavior of the tumor. Genetic analysis plays a key role in predicting disease course,” explained Carla Colombo, of the Auxologico Endocrinology and Thyroid Center and Associate Professor at the University of Milan, one of the study’s authors. She noted that these findings help specialists personalize treatment, avoid overtreatment in biologically low-risk cases, and monitor high-risk patients more closely over time.