Aims To characterise the mutational profiles of poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma (PDTC) and anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) and to identify markers with potential diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic significance. Methods and results Targeted next‐generation sequencing with a panel of 18 thyroid carcinoma‐related genes was performed on tissue samples from 41 PDTC and 25 ATC patients. Genetic alterations and their correlations with clinicopathological factors, including survival outcomes, were also analysed. Our results showed that ATC had significantly higher mutation rates of BRAF, TP53, TERT and PIK3CA than PDTC (P = 0.005, P = 0.007, P = 0.005, and P = 0.033, respectively). Nine (69%) ATC cases with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) components harboured BRAF mutations, all of which coexisted with a late mutation event (TP53, TERT, or PIK3CA). Nine cases with oncogenic fusion (six RET cases, one NTRK1 case, one ALK case, and one PPARG case) were identified in 41 PDTCs, whereas only one case with oncogenic fusion (NTRK1) was found among 25 ATCs. Moreover, all six cases of RET fusion were found in PDTC with PTC components, accounting for 33%. In PDTC/ATC patients, concurrent TERT and PIK3CA mutations were associated with poor overall survival after adjustment for TNM stage (P = 0.001). Conclusions ATC with PTC components is typically characterised by a BRAF mutation with a late mutation event, whereas PDTC with PTC components is more closely correlated with RET fusion. TERT and concurrent PIK3CA mutations predict worse overall survival in PDTC/ATC patients.

BackgroundThe BRAF V600E and telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter mutations have been reported in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). The aim of this retrospective cross-sectional study was to add further information regarding the prevalence of the BRAF V600E and TERT promoter mutations in Chinese PTC and their clinicopathological associations.MethodsWe detected the BRAF V600E mutation and TERT promoter mutations in 455 Chinese PTC patients and analyzed the association of these mutations with several clinicopathological features.ResultsThe BRAF V600E mutation was detected in 343 (75.4%) of 455 cases and was significantly associated with older age (p<0.001) and conventional subtype (p = 0.003). TERT promoter mutations were detected in 19 (4.4%) of 434 PTCs and were associated with older age (p<0.001), larger tumor size (p = 0.024), and advanced TNM stage(p<0.001). Of the 19 patients that were positive for TERT promoter mutations, 18 (94.7%) also harbored the BRAF V600E mutation.ConclusionWe determined the prevalence and clinicopathological associations of BRAF V600E and TERT promoter mutations in Chinese PTC patients. TERT promoter mutations but not the BRAF V600E mutation were associated with more advanced TNM stage upon diagnosis.

Using rpoB and hsp65, M. abscessus subsp. bolletii could be distinguished from M. abscessus subsp. abscessus. Amikacin and azithromycin showed excellent activity against M. abscessus in vitro. Imipenem, linezolid, cefoxitin, and moxifloxacin also showed good activity. Levofloxacin was inactive against M. abscessus. Although clarithromycin showed excellent activity against M. abscessus on day 3, inducible resistance occurred, and after 14 days clarithromycin showed little activity against M. abscessus subsp. abscessus, but still had good activity against M. abscessus subsp. bolletii.