BRAF and thyroid gland papillary carcinoma: RET proto-oncogene rearrangements (frequency: ∼30% in adult PTC) and BRAF somatic mutations (frequency: 36–69% in adult PTC) (Cohen et al, 2003; Kimura et al, 2003; Soares et al, 2003) represent the most common genetic alterations found in sporadic, naturally occurring, papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTC).