Background and purpose: The incidence of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) has been increasing rapidly

and its treatment is controversial. Most of the key indicators of PTMC risk assessment are clinical and pathological parameters after operation

which are mainly based on retrospective review limiting guiding value for clinical treatment. The objective of this study was to analyze the correlation between the mutations of BRAF

V600E

and telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter and PTMC risk factors

and their value in the risk assessment of PTMC. Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed 107 cases of PTMC which were diagnosed after the surgery at the Department of Head and Neck Surgery in Gansu Province Tumor Hospital from October 2014 to June 2016. The mutations of BRAF

V600E

and TERT promoter were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) direct sequencing. We analyzed the data using χ2 test and binary logistic regression analysis. Results: Among 107 patients with PTMC

BRAF

V600E

and TERT promoter mutation rates were 68.2% and 11.2%

respectively. Single factor analysis showed that the presence of membrane invasion and lymph node metastasis was significantly correlated with BRAF

V600E

mutation (P0.01). Age

gender

capsular invasion

poor pathologic subtype and lymph node metastasis were significantly correlated with TERT promoter mutation and BRAF

V600E

and TERT mutation at the same time (P0.05). Multifactorial analysis showed that the factors closely related to the BRAF

V600E

mutation included capsular invasion (P=0.012) and lymph node metastasis (P=0.000). The following factors were closely associated with TERT promoter mutation: male (P=0.004)

age45 years (P=0.026)

capsular invasion (P=0.004)

pathological subtype (P=0.030) and lymph node metastasis (P=0.043). The following factors were closely related to the simultaneous mutations of BRAF

V600E

and TERT: ma

le (P=0.022)

capsular invasion (P=0.023)

poor pathological subtype (P=0.041) and lymph node metastasis (P=0.030). Conclusion: The risk of recurrence increases significantly when BRAF

V600E

and TERT mutations occur simultaneously in PTMC and may have an adverse outcome. Combined detection of BRAF

V600E

and TERT promoter mutations is of great value in risk assessment of PTMC. They have important value for the risk assessment of PTMC.