ROLE OF MOLECULAR ANALYSIS IN THYROID MALIGNANCY:ADVANCES,CHALLENGES AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Thyroid malignancies are the most common endocrine cancers, accounting for nearly 3–5% of all newly diagnosed cancers globally, with a steadily rising incidence over the past three decades (Lim et al., 2021). Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) represents approximately 80–85% of all thyroid cancers, followed by follicular, medullary, and anaplastic subtypes (Cabanillas et al., 2019). Although mortality remains relatively low compared to other solid tumors, advanced and aggressive variants such as anaplastic thyroid carcinoma are associated with poor survival outcomes (Matos et al., 2020). The growing prevalence has made thyroid malignancy a significant public health concern, necessitating improved diagnostic and therapeutic strategies (Kitahara & Sosa, 2020).