DOI: 10.5061/dryad.bvq83bkpx
title: Data from: Multi-gene co-mutations of <em>BRAF</em> with <em>TERT</em>, <em>PIK3CA</em>, or <em>TP53</em> are powerful predictors of central lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma

description: This dataset contains complete clinical and genomic data of 521 papillary
 thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients, aiming to investigate the association
 between multi-gene co-mutations (BRAF with TERT, PIK3CA, or TP53) and
 central lymph node metastasis (CLNM). It includes patient demographics,
 tumor characteristics, lymph node metastasis status, and mutations in key
 genes. Background: The accurate preoperative prediction of lymph node
 metastasis (LNM) in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) poses a significant
 clinical challenge. Although clinicopathological features are commonly
 utilized, their predictive accuracy remains limited, and the role of
 multi-gene co-mutations is not fully understood. Objective: This study
 aimed to develop and validate an integrated risk model that combines
 next-generation sequencing (NGS) data with clinicopathologic features for
 the preoperative prediction of LNM in PTC. Methods: We retrospectively
 analyzed 521 patients with PTC. Gene mutations were analyzed using NGS.
 Independent risk factors for central (CLNM) and lateral (LLNM) lymph node
 metastasis were identified through univariate and multivariate logistic
 regression analyses. Results: The BRAF V600E mutation was the most
 prevalent (82.15%). Notably, high-risk multi-gene co-mutations
 **—specifically, BRAF V600E co-occurring with TERT, PIK3CA, and/or
 TP53)—**were identified as the strongest independent risk factor for CLNM
 (odds ratio [OR] = 6.319, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.738–22.976, P =
 0.005). Other significant risk factors included male sex, age &lt;45
 years, bilateral lesions, tumor size &gt;1 cm, lymphovascular invasion
 (LVI), and extrathyroidal extension,with gross ETE demonstrating the
 highest ORs (&gt; 21). Conclusion: Preoperative NGS profiling,
 particularly the detection of high-risk multi-gene co-mutations, provides
 a powerful tool for refined risk assessment. This molecularly guided
 strategy has the potential to inform personalized surgical planning
 directly, optimizing the extent of lymph node dissection to improve
 oncologic outcomes while minimizing unnecessary morbidity.
description: # Data from: Multi-gene co-mutations of *BRAF* with *TERT*, *PIK3CA*, or
 *TP53* are powerful predictors of central lymph node metastasis in
 papillary thyroid carcinoma Dataset DOI:
 [10.5061/dryad.bvq83bkpx](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.bvq83bkpx) ##
 Description of the data and file structure This dataset contains
 anonymized clinicopathological and genomic mutation data from 521 patients
 with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). It supports the research presented
 in:  “Multi-Gene Co-Mutations of BRAF with TERT, PIK3CA, or TP53 Are
 Powerful Predictors of Central Lymph Node Metastasis in Papillary Thyroid
 Carcinoma”. Dataset Information File Name: `ThyroidCancer_Dataset.csv`
 Format: CSV (Comma-Separated Values) \ Encoding: UTF-8 \ Number of Rows:
 521 (excluding header) \ Number of Columns: 22 \ Collection Period: June
 2022 – January 2025 \ Institution: Deyang People's Hospital |
 Variable Name (CSV Header) |  Description  | Value Definition | |
 :------------------------- |
 :------------------------------------------------------ |
 :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | PatientID | Anonymous patient identifier |  P001 - P521 | | Sex | Sex | 1 = Female, 2 = Male | | Age | Age at diagnosis (binned) | 1 = "＜45 years", 2 = "≥45 years" | | MutationStatus | Multi-gene co-mutation status | 0 = Non-co-mutation, 1 = Co-mutation of BRAF with one or more of TERT/PIK3CA/TP53 | | MutationCount | Count of definitively mutated genes |  0 = No mutation, 1 = Single-gene mutation, 2 = ≥2 gene mutations | | MutatedGenes | Definitively mutated genes | Specific mutated genes, e.g., BRAF, TERT, PIK3CA, TP53, NRAS, RET, etc.; multiple genes separated by space (e.g., "BRAF TERT"); "NA" indicates no definitive mutation detected | | PathologyDetail | Detailed pathology subtype | 1 = Classical, 2 = Follicular, 3 = Tall cell, 4 = Columnar cell, 5 = Hobnail, 6 = Sclerosing | | PathologySimple | Simplified pathology subtype | 1 = Classical, 2 = Follicular, 3 = Other | | NoduleCount | Nodule count |  1 = 1 nodule, 2 = 2 nodules, 3 = ‚ ≥3 nodules | | MaxDiameter | Maximum tumor diameter | 1 = ≤1 cm, 2 = &gt;1 cm | | LesionSide | Lesion laterality |  1 = Left, 2 = Right, 3 = Bilateral | | Bilateral | Bilaterality  | 0 = No, 1 = Yes | | LNM | Lymph node metastasis |  1 = No, 2 = Yes | | LNM\_Total | Total number of metastatic lymph nodes (binned) |  0 = "0" (no metastasis), 1 = "1-5 nodes", 2 = "&gt;5 nodes" | | Central\_LNM | Central lymph node metastasis |  1 = No, 2 = Yes | | Central\_LNM\_Count  | Number of central lymph node metastases (binned) | 0 = "0", 1 = "1-5", 2 = "&gt;5" | | Neck\_LNM | Neck (lateral) lymph node metastasis | 1 = No, 2 = Yes | | Neck\_LNM\_Count | Number of neck (lateral) lymph node metastases (binned) | 0 = "0", 1 = "1-5", 2 = "&gt;5" | | ThyroidCapsule | Thyroid capsule invasion | 0 = No, 1 = Yes | | StrapMuscle | Vascular invasion (strap muscle) | 0 = No, 1 = Yes | | NerveInvasion | Nerve invasion | 0 = No, 1 = Yes | | ExtrathyroidalExtension |  Gross extrathyroidal extension | 0 = No, 1 = Yes | Genomic Testing Method Targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) was performed using a thyroid carcinoma-related gene panel, covering key driver genes including BRAF, TERT, PIK3CA, TP53, NRAS, and RET. ## Usage Notes 1.Privacy Protection: The data is fully anonymized and contains no personally identifiable information. 2.Data Access: Recommended software for opening and analysis includes R (read.csv), Python (pandas), SPSS, or Excel. 3.Missing Values: Empty cells in the CSV file represent missing values. 4.Variable Interpretation: All categorical variables are encoded as numeric values. Please refer to the Variable Description table above for the corresponding definitions. 5.Core Definition: A value of 1 in the MutationStatus column specifically indicates a co-mutation where the BRAF gene mutation occurs simultaneously with one or more mutations in the TERT, PIK3CA, or TP53 genes. Ethics Statement This study was reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of Deyang People's Hospital (Approval No.: 2025-04-113-K01). The use of retrospective, anonymized data granted a waiver for the requirement of obtaining individual patient informed consent. Key Findings Summary BRAF V600E mutation rate: 82.15% Incidence of high-risk multi-gene co-mutation (BRAF with TERT/PIK3CA/TP53): 3.8% High-risk multi-gene co-mutation is the strongest independent predictor of central lymph node metastasis (OR=6.319). Among patients with microcarcinoma (≤1 cm), the incidence of central lymph node metastasis in those with high-risk co-mutations was as high as 81.8%. How to Cite If you use this dataset, please cite it as follows: Yu, Qing; Liu, Hua. (2026). Data from: Multi-gene co-mutations of BRAF with TERT, PIK3CA, or TP53 are powerful predictors of central lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma [Dataset]. Dryad. [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.bvq83bkpx](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.bvq83bkpx) Contact Corresponding Author: Qing Yu Email: [290894185@qq.com](mailto:290894185@qq.com) Affiliation: Department of Pathology, Deyang People's Hospital Address: No. 173 Taishan North Road, Deyang, Sichuan, China, 618000 License This dataset is published under the CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication license. Acknowledgments We thank all patients and clinical staff who participated in this study. Document Last Updated: February 6, 2026 ## Human subjects data This study involving human subjects was approved by the Ethics Committee of Deyang People's Hospital (Approval ID: 2025-04-113-K01) with a waiver of informed consent.