Risk Factors for TERT Promoter Mutations with Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Patients: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review

Whether TERT promoter mutation is related to more aggressive clinicopathologic features and worse outcomes in papillary thyroid carcinoma patients (PTCs) is still variable and controversial. Our intention was to investigate the risk or prognostic factors that may additionally predict the TERT promoter mutation doable of these lesions and new prevention techniques in PTCs. A total of 2,539 PTC patients with 11.50% TERT mutation have been analyzed using Revman 5.3 software in this study. The PubMed and Embase databases were systematically searched for works published until November 9, 2021. The following variables had been associated with an extended chance of TERT promoter mutation in PTC patients: age < 45 years (MD = 10.93, 95%CI = 7.25-14.61); gender = male (pooled OR = 1.63, 95%CI = 1.17-2.28); tumor size > 1 cm (MD = 0.56, 95%CI = 0.34-0.77); lymph node metastasis (pooled OR = 1.29, 95%CI = 0.93-1.79); vascular invasion (pooled OR=1.78, 95%CI = 0.83-3.84); extrathyroidal extension (pooled OR = 2.00, 95%CI = 1.32-3.02); distant metastasis (pooled OR = 1.46, 95%CI = 1.04-2.04); advanced TNM stage (pooled OR = 3.19, 95%CI = 2.28-4.45). In addition, multifocality (pooled OR = 0.67, 95%CI = 0.14-3.24) had no affiliation with TERT promoter mutation in PTC patients. Our finding showed that age < 45 years, male, tumor size > 1 cm, lymph node metastasis, vascular invasion, and superior/advanced TNM stage were dangerous elements for TERT promoter mutation of worse effect in PTCs while that multifocality was once negatively correlated. TERT promoter mutation is drastically associated with recurrence and PTC-related mortality.

Automated summary

This study aimed to explore the risk or prognostic factors that may predict TERT promoter mutation in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and find new prevention techniques. The results showed that age, gender, tumor size, lymph node metastasis, vascular invasion, and advanced TNM stage were associated with TERT promoter mutation, which had a worse effect on PTC.