Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase/Akt and Ras/Raf-Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Pathway Mutations in Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer

Abstract

BRAF mutations appear to play a role in the tumorigenesis of a subset of ATCs, and the majority of lymph node metastases. PIK3CA alterations occur preferentially in the later stages of ATC and were the most relevant events during thyroid cancer progression. The activation of both pathways suggests an important role in ATC dedifferentiation.