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Cytological examination of fine needle aspiration biopsy is the primary means for distinguishing benign from malignant nodules. However, as inconclusive cytology is very frequent, the introduction of molecular markers in the preoperative diagnosis of thyroid nodules has been proposed in recent years. In this article, we review the clinical implications of preoperative detection of rearrangements of the RET gene (RET/papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC)) in thyroid nodules. The prevalence of RET/PTC in PTC depends on the histological subtypes, geographical factors, radiation exposure, and detection method. Initially, RET/PTC was considered an exclusive PTC hallmark and later it was also found sporadically in benign thyroid lesions. More recently, the very sensitive detection methods, interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and Southern blot on RT-PCR amplicons, demonstrated that the oligoclonal occurrence of RET rearrangement in benign thyroid lesions is not a rare event and suggested that it could be associated with a faster enlargement in benign nodules. For this reason, RET/PTC cannot be considered as an absolute marker of PTC, and its diagnostic application must be limited to assays able to distinguish between clonal and oligoclonal expression. Detection of RET/PTC by quantitative assays will be useful for diagnostic purposes in cytology specimens when a precise cutoff will be fixed in a clinical setting. Until that time, less sensitive RET/PTC detection methods and FISH analysis remain the most appropriate means to refine inconclusive cytology. Future studies with a long follow-up will further clarify the clinical significance of low level of RET rearrangements in benign nodules.

RET/PTC rearrangement in benign and malignant thyroid diseases: a clinical standpoint