Invasive follicular variant of papillary thyroid cancer harboring the NRAS mutation Q61K and presenting with bone metastasis-A case report

Introduction: The follicular variant of papillary thyroid cancer (FVPTC) can be noninvasive or invasive. The invasive form of FVPTC commonly harbors BRAF mutations whereas RAS mutations are more often associated with noninvasive FVPTC and a favorable clinical outcome.

Case report: A 47-year-old man presented with a metastasis to his right iliac bone as the initial manifestation of a 1.6cm invasive FVPTC. After total thyroidectomy, the patient underwent additional treatment, including thyroid hormone suppressive treatment to non-detectable TSH levels, repeated courses of radioiodine treatment, external beam radiation, and treatment with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor sorafenib. Despite these therapeutic efforts, the disease progressed with growth of the iliac mass and additional metastatic spread to cervical and lumbar vertebrae causing increasing pain and disability. The patient succumbed to the disease four years after presentation. Retrospective next-generation sequencing of the primary tumor using a pan-cancer targeted mutation and gene fusion panel revealed NRAS Q61K mutation and no other oncogenic alterations.

Discussion: The study challenges the concept that thyroid neoplasms with isolated RAS mutations are often associated with favorable clinical behavior and may be candidates for conservative management.

Conclusion: An isolated RAS mutation in invasive FVPTC may be associated with an aggressive clinical behavior.