Development of molecular procedures useful for differential diagnosis in thyroid nodules

• Grant number: 15/17707-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): December 01, 2015
• Effective date (End): November 30, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Pathological Anatomy and Clinical Pathology
• Principal Investigator: Luiz Paulo Kowalski
• Grantee: Mateus de Camargo Barros Filho
• Host Institution: A C Camargo Cancer Center. Fundação Antonio Prudente (FAP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 18/06138-8 - Small non-coding RNA as master regulators in thyroid cancer, BE.EP.PD

Abstract

Thyroid nodules are common in adult population, being detected in up to 70% of cases by ultrasound tests. However, current diagnostic methods have limitations in distinguishing malignant from benign follicular lesions, resulting in a significant number of potentially preventable surgeries. Thus, molecular diagnostic and prognostic tools of thyroid cancer are of great interest. In a previous study of our group, potential markers have been identified based on the comprehensive analysis of DNA methylation in malignant and benign thyroid lesions. By combining nine differentially methylated regions it was possible to discriminate with 97% sensitivity and 82% specificity malignant lesions from benign samples in surgical specimens. Based on these preliminary results, the aim of this study is to prospectively test the potential of these candidates in the diagnosis of thyroid lesions directly in fine needle aspiration biopsies (FNAB). Due to the high frequency of BRAF mutations in cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) in our institution, the evaluation of this alteration will be incorporated to improve the performance of the test. A second objective of this study is to verify the usage of peripheral blood samples from the patients with thyroid nodules as material for diagnosis. At this step, we will seek for transcriptomic markers in extracellular vesicles obtained from peripheral blood samples. This approach can be a substituted of FNA, avoiding the discomfort of the procedure to the patient. (AU)

Scientific publications

(5)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

BARROS-FILHO, MATEUS CAMARGO; MENEZES DE LIMA, LARISSA BARRETO; DOS REIS, MARIANA BISARRO; HOMEM DE MELLO, JULIA BETTE; BELTRAMI, CAROLINE MORAES; LOPES PINTO, CLOVIS ANTONIO; KOWALSKI, LUIZ PAULO; ROGATTO, SILVIA REGINA. PFKFB2 Promoter Hypomethylation as Recurrence Predictive Marker in Well-Differentiated Thyroid Carcinomas. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES, v. 20, n. 6, MAR 16 2019. (15/17707-5, 15/20748-5)

BARROS-FILHO, MATEUS C.; DE MELLO, JULIA B. H.; MARCHI, FABIO A.; PINTO, CLOVIS A. L.; DA SILVA, IGOR C.; DAMASCENO, PATRICIA K. F.; SOARES, MILENA B. P.; KOWALSKI, LUIZ P.; ROGATTO, SILVIA R.. GADD45B Transcript Is a Prognostic Marker in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Patients Treated With Total Thyroidectomy and Radioiodine Therapy. FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY, v. 11, APR 30 2020. (15/20748-5, 15/17707-5)

BARROS-FILHO, MATEUS CAMARGO; PEWARCHU, MICHELLE; MINATEL, BRENDA DE CARVALHO; SAGE, ADAM P.; MARSHALL, ERIN A.; MARTINEZ, VICTOR D.; ROCK, LEIGHA D.; MACAULAY, GAVIN; KOWALSKI, LUIZ PAULO; ROGATTO, SILVIA REGINA; et al. Previously undescribed thyroid-specific miRNA sequences in papillary thyroid carcinoma. JOURNAL OF HUMAN GENETICS, v. 64, n. 5, p. 505-508, MAY 2019. (18/06138-8, 15/17707-5, 15/20748-5)

BARROS-FILHO, MATEUS CAMARGO; DOS REIS, MARIANA BISARRO; BELTRAMI, CAROLINE MORAES; HOMEM DE MELLO, JULIA BETTE; MARCHI, FABIO ALBUQUERQUE; KUASNE, HELLEN; DRIGO, SANDRA APARECIDA; DE ANDRADE, VICTOR PIANA; SAIEG, MAURO AJAJ; LOPES PINTO, CLOVIS ANTONIO; et al. DNA Methylation-Based Method to Differentiate Malignant from Benign Thyroid Lesions. THYROID, v. 29, n. 9, AUG 2019. (15/20748-5, 15/17707-5)

DIAS PAYAO ORTIZ, ISABELLA MARIA; BARROS-FILHO, MATEUS CAMARGO; DOS REIS, MARIANA BISARRO; BELTRAMI, CAROLINE MORAES; MARCHI, FABIO ALBUQUERQUE; KUASNE, HELLEN; DO CANTO, LUISA MATOS; HOMEM DE MELLO, JULIA BETTE; ABILDGAARD, CECILIE; LOPES PINTO, CLOVIS ANTONIO; et al. Loss of DNA methylation is related to increased expression of miR-21 and miR-146b in papillary thyroid carcinoma. CLINICAL EPIGENETICS, v. 10, NOV 20 2018. (15/17707-5, 15/20748-5)