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ArticleEndocrine pathology2025

Refining NTRK Fusion Detection in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Through Pan-TRK Immunohistochemistry and Histopathologic Features.

Hyun Lee, Sue Youn Kim, Ji Min Park, Seung-Hyun Jung, Ozgur Mete, Chan Kwon Jung

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Article in Endocrine pathology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Molecular and clinicopathological characteristics ofHistology and histopathology · 2026
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4 · The record

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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Hyun LeeDepartment of Hospital Pathology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7005-8142
Sue Youn KimDepartment of Hospital Pathology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0279-9787
Ji Min ParkDepartment of Hospital Pathology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6062-0418
Seung-Hyun JungDepartment of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1128-892X
Ozgur MeteDepartment of Pathology, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5G 2C4, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0469-2801
Chan Kwon JungDepartment of Hospital Pathology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea. ckjung@catholic.ac.kr.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6843-3708

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

NTRK fusions are rare but recurrent driver alterations in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), with therapeutic significance due to the availability of targeted TRK inhibitors. Pan-TRK immunohistochemistry (IHC) provides a practical approach for the identification of NTRK fusions; however, its application and reliability in routine pathology require further exploration. This study is aimed at evaluating the diagnostic utility of pan-TRK IHC for detecting NTRK fusions in PTC, assessing its correlation with histopathologic features, and developing a diagnostic algorithm. We analyzed 107 BRAF p.V600E-negative PTC cases using pan-TRK IHC, correlating staining patterns with molecular data and histopathologic features. RNA-based targeted sequencing confirmed gene fusions. NTRK fusion-positive tumors were enriched in distinct histopathologic features, including BRAF-like PTC with predominant follicular architecture, clear cells, and secretory-like cells. Findings such as tumor cell stratification, glomeruloid structures, and papillae with subfollicle formation (microfollicles within papillary structures) were associated with both NTRK and RET fusion-positive PTCs. Correlation of pan-TRK IHC and molecular testing results identified non-specific reactivity or false positivity in 62% of pan-TRK IHC-positive PTCs, including cases with RET fusions, BRAF fusion, or no detectable fusion. However, pan-TRK IHC with high H-scores (≥ 110) was observed exclusively in cases with NTRK fusions. For cases with lower H-scores (< 110), integrating histopathologic features improved the identification of fusion-driven PTCs. While our series further supports the limitations of pan-TRK IHC, a diagnostic algorithm that combines pan-TRK IHC H-scores and histopathologic patterns improved the triaging of NTRK molecular testing of BRAF p.V600E-negative PTCs when a stepwise approach is undertaken. This study also demonstrated that TRK protein localization may vary with tumor progression and dedifferentiation.

Indexed as

Biomarkers, TumorOncogene Proteins, FusionThyroid Cancer, PapillaryThyroid NeoplasmsAdultAgedFemaleHumansImmunohistochemistryMaleMiddle AgedReceptor, trkAYoung AdultBiomarkers, TumorOncogene Proteins, FusionReceptor, trkADiagnostic algorithmGene fusionsImmunohistochemistryMolecular testingNTRKPan-TRKPapillary thyroid carcinoma

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.