According to study of Smith et al., in which gene-specific methylation status of TSHr, ECAD, NIS- L, ATM and DAPC receptors were studied, methylation rates for NIS-L, ATM, ECAD, and TSHr were higher in papillary thyroid carcinoma compared to the control group, including colloidal nodules, follicular adenoma, and non-neoplastic thyroid tissue [6]. Here, ATM is linked to follicular thyroid adenoma.