Prognostic Factors for Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma Recurrence
Author Information
Author(s): Kim Tae Yong, Hong Suck Joon, Kim Jung Min, Gu Kim Won, Gong Gyungyub, Ryu Jin Sook, Kim Won Bae, Yun Sung-Cheol, Shong Young Kee
Primary Institution: Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
Hypothesis
What are the independent prognostic factors for clinical recurrence of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC)?
Conclusion
PTMC can exhibit aggressive clinical behavior, and recurrence is associated with lateral cervical lymph node metastasis and male gender.
Supporting Evidence
- 14 out of 293 patients (5%) had recurrence during a median follow-up of 65 months.
- Recurrence was significantly associated with gender and presence of lateral cervical node metastases.
- Multivariate analysis identified gender and cervical lymph node metastasis as significant predictors of recurrence.
Takeaway
Some small thyroid cancers can come back even after surgery, especially if they spread to nearby lymph nodes or if the patient is male.
Methodology
Retrospective analysis of clinical and pathological data from 307 patients with PTMC.
Potential Biases
Potential biases due to retrospective design and selection of patients.
Limitations
The study had a relatively small sample size and a short median follow-up period.
Participant Demographics
307 patients (32 men and 275 women) with a mean age of 46 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.01 for gender, 0.01 for cervical lymph node metastasis
Confidence Interval
95% CI for gender: 1.08–19.5; for lymph node metastasis: 1.46–36.7
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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