BEIJING, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese scientists have depicted the genetic landscape of thyroid cancer in the Chinese population, providing a fundamental insight into the pathogenesis of the disease.

The research was jointly conducted by the Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Beijing Cancer Hospital.

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common thyroid cancer. Scientists conducted genetic analysis of 355 samples of cancer tissues and adjacent tissues from Chinese PTC patients to determine the mutational landscape of the cancer.

Genetic mutation of cancer varies by the factors, including geography and living habits. Previous researches focus on the genetic mutation of PTCs in Western populations. The research characterizes the genetic landscape in Chinese patients with PTC for the first time.

It reveals the differences in the genetic map of PTC patients in China and America. The research was published in the The Journal of Pathology in December.

It provides a theoretical basis for the molecular diagnosis of PCT in China. It also brings a new target point for developing drug therapy.

China has seen increasing cases of thyroid cancer in recent years, especially among young and middle-aged women.