BRAF and thyroiditis: Fig 3 summarizes the association between BRAF mRNA expression count and clinicopathological characteristics. Table 3 shows the results of linear regression analysis. The BRAF mRNA expression count was negatively correlated with age ≥ 45 years and thyroiditis, and was positively correlated with tumor size > 2 cm and N1 nodal stage. In wild-type BRAF patients, the BRAF mRNA expression count negatively correlated with age ≥ 45 years whereas it positively correlated with ETE and higher T stage in BRAFV600E patients.