Genetic Test May Help Preserve Thyroid

April 12th, 2017

The thyroid gland, located at the base of the neck, makes hormones that help control heart rate, blood pressure, weight, and body temperature. According to the American Cancer Society, about 56,870 cases of thyroid cancer are diagnosed in the United States every year, and about 2,010 people die of the disease. Many people diagnosed with thyroid cancer have the entire thyroid gland removed as part of their treatment and need to take thyroid-regulating medicine for the rest of their lives. Some people with the disease need to have only part of the thyroid removed but choose to have full removal so that they do not have to undergo surgery again if the cancer is aggressive and recurs.

A new genetic test called ThyroSeq, developed by Yuri Nikiforov, MD, PhD (Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine), may be able to help patients and their doctors make better decisions about the extent of the surgery required. ThyroSeq allows pathologists to test for multiple genetic markers of thyroid cancer using just a few cells collected from the patient. Over the next two years, Linwah Yip, MD (Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine), and her colleagues plan to enroll about 100 patients who are newly diagnosed with thyroid cancer in a research study. Each participant’s biopsy sample will be tested with ThyroSeq to determine whether the cancer has markers that indicate an aggressive or nonaggressive disease course. This information can help patients and their doctor decide whether to remove all or part or all of the thyroid.

You can learn more about precision medicine research study opportunities by joining the Pitt+Me® Registry and selecting the “Precision Medicine Initiative (PMI)/PA Cares for Us” category. Already a Pitt+Me Registry member? Log in and update your profile today!