Veracyte Unveils Landmark Studies Using Afirma GRID to Advance Next-Generation Thyroid Nodule Testing
Veracyte, Inc. (Nasdaq: VCYT), a leader in genomic diagnostics, has announced the publication of two groundbreaking research studies demonstrating how its Afirma GRID (Genomic Resource for Intelligent Discovery) research platform could revolutionize the way thyroid nodules are evaluated and managed in the future. Published in Frontiers in Endocrinology and Frontiers in Surgery, the studies illustrate how cutting-edge molecular analysis may soon provide clinicians with new tools to predict thyroid cancer risk and guide surgical decisions before an operation takes place.
Reimagining Thyroid Nodule Diagnosis Through Genomic Insight
For decades, the evaluation of thyroid nodules has relied heavily on imaging, biopsy, and histological assessment following surgery. However, nearly 20–30% of thyroid nodules yield indeterminate results during fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy—meaning the cells do not clearly indicate whether the nodule is benign or malignant. These uncertain findings often lead to unnecessary surgeries that could be avoided with more accurate preoperative testing.
Veracyte has long been a pioneer in addressing this diagnostic challenge. The company’s Afirma Genomic Sequencing Classifier (GSC), introduced in 2017, transformed thyroid cancer diagnostics by identifying nodules that are likely benign, allowing thousands of patients to avoid surgery. The company’s latest innovation, the Afirma GRID research tool, represents the next frontier—offering researchers access to comprehensive whole-transcriptome data that can uncover new molecular signatures, expand clinical understanding, and improve prognostic capabilities.
“The next phase in thyroid nodule care is to find a preoperative prognostic marker with clinical utility,” said Dr. Gustavo Romero-Velez, endocrine surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic and senior author on one of the studies. “Veracyte with Afirma GRID is giving us a path to do that work—to get to a clinically useful prognostic marker.”
Afirma GRID: A Platform for Discovery
The Afirma GRID platform provides researchers with access to molecular data derived from the same whole-transcriptome sequencing used in Veracyte’s clinical testing. This research-use-only tool allows scientists to explore thousands of genes and molecular signatures from thyroid nodules, helping them identify patterns associated with aggressiveness, risk level, and tumor subtype.
Through collaborations with leading academic medical centers, Veracyte is enabling a wave of discovery that could ultimately refine how clinicians assess cancer risk and personalize patient management before surgery.
First Study: Predicting Low-Risk Thyroid Tumor Features
The first of the newly published studies, conducted in collaboration with researchers at Memorial Healthcare System in South Florida and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, focuses on developing and validating mRNA-based classifiers to preoperatively predict low-risk thyroid tumor characteristics. Using molecular data accessed through Afirma GRID, the research team aimed to identify expression signatures that could distinguish less aggressive nodules—those less likely to require extensive surgical intervention.
The results demonstrated that specific mRNA-based classifiers can potentially predict low-risk features with promising accuracy, suggesting a new pathway for refining pre-surgical decision-making. If validated in larger trials, these classifiers could empower physicians to make more informed recommendations about whether surgery is necessary and, if so, how extensive it should be.
Dr. Joshua Klopper, Veracyte’s Medical Director for Endocrinology, emphasized the potential of this work:
“We introduced Afirma GSC in 2017 to help patients with indeterminate thyroid nodules avoid unnecessary surgery. Now, with Afirma GRID, we are entering the next critical phase—helping clinicians determine not only if a nodule is cancerous, but how much surgery is really needed. These new studies take us a step closer to that goal.”
Second Study: Identifying High-Risk Tumors Preoperatively
The second study, published independently by researchers at the Cleveland Clinic, explores the use of mRNA expression signatures to differentiate higher-risk thyroid tumors before surgical intervention. Researchers analyzed 445 thyroid samples that had previously undergone Afirma GSC testing and then used 30 molecular signatures available through Afirma GRID to assess risk stratification.
The team evaluated whether any of these gene expression patterns correlated with the American Thyroid Association (ATA)’s risk categories, which classify thyroid cancers as low, intermediate, or high risk. Two particular signatures emerged as especially significant:
- The “Invasion Signature” – Higher scores on this molecular signature correlated with a 30% greater likelihood of intermediate- or high-risk cancer, suggesting it could help identify more aggressive tumors preoperatively.
- The “NIS Expression Signature” – Elevated expression levels of this gene set were associated with low-risk cancers, potentially identifying patients who might benefit from less extensive surgery.
Although the study does not yet provide sufficient validation for clinical application, the authors noted that these results highlight the potential of gene expression profiling to serve as a powerful prognostic tool. Future research and validation could confirm the use of these markers to guide surgical planning and postoperative management, ultimately enhancing patient outcomes and reducing overtreatment.
Bridging the Gap Between Diagnosis and Treatment
Together, these studies illustrate how the Afirma GRID platform is enabling researchers to explore the “gray zone” of thyroid nodule diagnosis—where uncertainty has historically led to invasive surgery and anxiety for patients. The ability to better predict a tumor’s aggressiveness or indolence before surgery could transform how thyroid cancer is managed, reducing unnecessary thyroidectomies and helping tailor surgical approaches to each patient’s unique risk profile.
Such advances also have broader implications for precision oncology. By leveraging whole-transcriptome data, clinicians may eventually move beyond a binary benign/malignant distinction and instead use molecular information to stratify cancer risk, guide treatment decisions, and improve long-term outcomes.
Collaborative Innovation Driving Progress
Both studies underscore the importance of collaboration between industry innovators like Veracyte and leading research institutions. By making Afirma GRID available as a research-use-only tool, Veracyte has empowered academic partners to pursue novel discoveries that may reshape clinical practice.
For example, in the Cleveland Clinic study, researchers leveraged GRID’s vast transcriptomic data to test multiple molecular signatures against established ATA risk frameworks. Similarly, in the Memorial and Brigham collaboration, the development of preoperative mRNA classifiers was made possible by GRID’s ability to provide high-resolution gene expression insights from existing clinical samples.
These collaborations represent a new model of translational research—one where genomic data, advanced computational analytics, and clinical expertise intersect to accelerate scientific progress.
Potential to Transform Thyroid Cancer Care
While the findings from both studies are still at the research stage, their implications are profound. By enabling earlier, more accurate risk assessment, GRID-based genomic insights could reduce unnecessary surgeries, minimize complications, and improve patient quality of life. Additionally, by identifying which tumors are likely to behave aggressively, these molecular tools could help ensure that patients who do require surgery receive the appropriate level of intervention.
This aligns with a broader shift in thyroid cancer management toward more personalized, evidence-based care. Rather than applying a “one-size-fits-all” surgical approach, clinicians could soon use genomic information to tailor interventions precisely to each patient’s biological risk profile.
As Dr. Klopper noted, “These studies may one day enable us to answer the critical question: for patients whose nodules are likely cancerous, how much surgery is needed? That’s the future we’re working toward.”
Afirma GRID’s Role in Future Research
Beyond thyroid disease, Veracyte envisions Afirma GRID as a foundation for broader discovery across oncology and other fields of molecular medicine. Because it is built on comprehensive transcriptomic sequencing, GRID enables researchers to analyze tens of thousands of genes simultaneously, uncovering new pathways, biomarkers, and molecular signatures that may hold clinical relevance.
The company’s growing network of research collaborators is already using GRID to explore questions related not only to thyroid cancer but also to lung disease, breast cancer, and other conditions where gene expression data can inform diagnosis and treatment.
