The influence of age-independent somatic driver alterations on clinical outcomes in paediatric and young adult thyroid cancer
Authors' conclusion
Somatic drivers offer prognostic insights independent of age in paediatric and young adult DTC, establishing a molecular framework for precision risk stratification that complements traditional clinical staging and age-based assessments.
Study context
- Population
- Patients aged 0–25 years with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) who underwent molecular testing and surgical management; age categories ≤8, 9–14, 15–18 and 19–25 years
- Participants
- 363 patients
- Exposure
- Somatic driver alterations and outcome, adjusted for age
- Outcome
- Disease status at last follow-up, categorized by American Thyroid Association (ATA) response criteria
- Follow-up
- Last
Methodological detailsmultivariable ordered logistic regression adjusted for age, sex and follow-up duration
- Multivariable ordered logistic regression adjusted for age, sex and follow-up duration
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Non-excellent outcome (ATA response) by driver alteration
NTRK1/3 fusions: aOR
5.29
95% CI 1.77–15.79
BRAF V600E: aOR
3.45
95% CI 1.37–8.70
RET fusions: aOR
3.34
95% CI 1.13–9.90
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Age-related patterns of oncogenic drivers
- RET and NTRK1/3 fusions predominant in younger patients, BRAF V600E most frequent in adolescents, RAS mutations enriched in young adults
Original publication
The influence of age-independent somatic driver alterations on clinical outcomes in paediatric and young adult thyroid cancer. Eur Thyroid J. Published 7 January 2026. doi:10.
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