Distinguishing benign and malignant indeterminate thyroid lesions

A method of treating a patient comprising:

• a. determining a quantified expression level of mir-328, mir-222, mir-197, and mir-21 RNA in a test thyroid tissue sample from the patient to obtain a test dataset of expression levels;
• b. comparing the test dataset of expression levels of mir-328, mir-222, mir-197, and mir-21 to a malignant thyroid dataset and to a benign thyroid dataset;
• c. determining whether a test dataset of expression levels is significantly within a malignant thyroid dataset or within a benign thyroid dataset to assess whether the test thyroid tissue sample is benign or malignant;
• and
• d. treating the patient for malignant thyroid cancer if the test dataset of expression levels is significantly within a malignant thyroid dataset;
• wherein the test dataset of expression levels comprises a collection of quantified expression levels of mir-328, mir-222, mir-197, and mir-21 RNA in a test thyroid tissue sample from the patient;
• wherein the malignant thyroid dataset comprises a collection of quantified expression levels of mir-328, mir-222, mir-197, and mir-21 RNA from malignant thyroid tissue samples;
• and
• wherein the benign thyroid dataset comprises a collection of quantified expression levels of mir-328, mir-222, mir-197, and mir-21 RNA from benign, healthy, and/or non-cancerous thyroid tissue samples.