Genetics of Thyroid Lesions Updated

The document discusses various topics in dermatopathology and endocrine pathology. In the section on non-scarring alopecia, Joyce S. S. Lee from the National Skin Centre in Singapore explains that non-scarring alopecias preserve follicular ostia clinically and follicular unit architecture histopathologically. The practice at the National Skin Centre involves taking two 4mm punch biopsy specimens for suspected non-scarring alopecia, sectioning one vertically and the other transversely, which provides valuable information for diagnosis. Common forms of non-scarring alopecias, such as androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata, are discussed with a focus on interpreting transverse sections. In the section on subungual melanocytic lesions, Dong-Youn Lee reviews 23 cases of subungual melanoma, finding that dermal invasion in the nail matrix area tends to occur later than in other areas, suggesting that conservative surgical treatment for early subungual melanoma may be justified. Lastly, Alfred King-Yin Lam provides an update on the genetics of thyroid lesions, highlighting the clinical importance of RET mutation in familial medullary thyroid carcinoma and BRAF mutation in papillary thyroid carcinoma, which is associated with aggressive features and increased mortality. The document emphasizes the ongoing emergence of new genetic information in thyroid cancers and its potential applications in diagnosis, prognosis, and targeted therapies.