Abstract
Objective
We assessed our experience with Afirma gene expression classifier (GEC) combined with sono-graphic risk assessment, using both the American Thyroid Association (ATA) and the Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (TI-RADS) in evaluating indeterminate thyroid nodules.
Methods
We identified 98 patients with 101 nodules who had a second fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNA) between January 1, 2014, and September 30, 2017, and sent to Veracyte for cytopathology and subsequent Afirma GEC testing. A second FNA biopsy was performed if the initial cytopathology was either Bethesda III or IV (n = 94) or nondiagnostic (n = 7). We correlated cytopathology, histopathology, and Afirma GEC results with sonographic risk assessment using both the ATA system and TI-RADS.
Results
The mean age of the cohort was 57.4 ± 12.3 years; 84% women and 60% white. Repeat FNA was benign in 51 of 101 nodules, and of the remaining 50 nodules, 18 (36%) were GEC-benign and 32 (64%) GEC-suspicious. Eighteen of the 32 GEC-suspicious nodules underwent surgery with the following results: 7 benign (39%), 1 follicular thyroid carcinoma (6%), 6 follicular variant of papillary thyroid cancer (33%), and 4 noninvasive follicular tumor with papillary-like nuclear features (22%). The malignancy rate among the surgical cohort was 39% (without noninvasive follicular tumor with papillary-like nuclear features [NIFTP]) and 61% (with NIFTP) and about 50% and 20% of this group scored in the high suspicion category by ATA and TR5 by TI-RADS, respectively.
Conclusion
Afirma GEC was useful in avoiding surgery in one-third of indeterminate nodules and performed similarly to ATA and TI-RADS. However, the use of echogenicity in scoring may underestimate the risk of malignancy in patients with indeterminate nodules. Abbreviations: ATA = American Thyroid Association; AUS = Atypia of Undetermined Significance; FLUS = Follicular Lesion of Undetermined Significance; FN = follicular neoplasm; FNA = fine needle aspiration; FTC = follicular thyroid cancer; FVPTC = follicular variant of papillary thyroid cancer; GEC = Gene Expression Classifier; ND = nondiagnostic; NIFTP = noninvasive follicular tumor with papillary-like nuclear features; TI-RADS = Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System; TR = TI-RADS.