Potential protein markers for differential diagnosis of thyroid neoplasms

Tumors of the thyroid gland are extremely common. The incidence of malignant thyroid neoplasms has increased rapidly in recent decades, although it is unclear whether this is a true increase or the result of widespread use of screening ultrasound. The standard diagnostic procedure for determining the risk of malignancy and indications for surgical treatment of thyroid neoplasms is fine-needle aspiration biopsy followed by cytologic examination of the cellular aspirate. Despite the fact that in the majority of cases it is possible to make a differential diagnosis between thyroid cancer and benign thyroid masses, there is a diagnostic problem with intermediate categories of cytologic findings according to Bethesda, which makes it necessary to search for alternative solutions. This determines the need to expand preoperative diagnostic possibilities. One of the key directions of work on its realization is the study of proteomic data in various thyroid pathologies. The study of the proteome of thyroid tumors opens the possibility of identifying specific protein markers or mechanisms that play a key role in the oncogenesis and metastasis of thyroid tumors, as well as potential targets for new methods of diagnosis and treatment of these diseases. All this determines the relevance and practical importance of studying thyroid pathology at the molecular level, taking into account the potential of proteins as markers.