Active Surveillance for Low-Risk Cancers - A Viable Solution to Overtreatment?

Evolution in the management of thyroid surgery over a period of 15 years in a Belgian center

BACKGROUND

Guidelines for thyroid surgery have evolved to reflect advances in medical knowledge and decrease the overdiagnosis of low-risk thyroid cancer. Our goal was to analyze the change made in operative thyroid management and the impact on thyroid cancer diagnosis.

BACKGROUND

Guidelines for thyroid surgery have evolved to reflect advances in medical knowledge and decrease overdiagnosis of low risk thyroid cancer. Our goal was to study the evolution, over a long period, of pre- and postoperative management and the influence on histological cancer diagnosis and, more particularly, microcancer.

METHODS

In this retrospective cohort study, we included 891 consecutive patients who underwent thyroid surgery between 2007 and 2020.

RESULTS

Respectively 305, 290 and 266 patients underwent surgery over the 3 periods of 2007-2010, 2011-2015 and 2016-2020. In all three periods, women represented approximately 70% of the population, and the mean age was 54 years old (range: 67). Most surgeries (90%) involved total thyroidectomies. Over the study period, the proportion of preoperative fine needle aspiration (FNA) increased from 13 to 55%, p < 0,01. Cancer was found in a total of 116 patients: 35 (11%) patients between 2007 and 2010, 50 (17%) between 2011 and 2015 and 32 (12%) between 2016 and 2020 (p = 0.08). For all 3 periods, papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) was the most prevalent, at approximately 80%. The proportion of thyroid cancer > T1a increased significantly from 37% (2011-2015 period) to 81% (2016-2020 period), p = 0.001. Patients treated with radioiodine remained relatively stable (approximately 60%) but were more frequently treated with a low dose of radioiodine (p < 0.01) and recombinant human TSH (p < 0.01). Operative thyroid weight decreased over time in all but the low-risk T1a PTC cases.

CONCLUSIONS

Over a period of 15 years and according to the evolution of recommendations, the care of patients who underwent thyroid surgery changed with the increased use of preoperative FNA. This change came with a decrease in low-risk T1a PTC.

Adequacy of clinical guideline recommendations for patients with low-risk cancer managed with monitoring: systematic review

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this systematic review was to summarize national and international guidelines that made recommendations for monitoring patients diagnosed with low-risk cancer. It appraised the quality of guidelines and determined whether the guidelines adequately identified patients for monitoring, specified which tests to use, defined monitoring intervals, and stated triggers for further intervention. It then assessed the evidence to support each recommendation.

STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING

Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses, we searched PubMed and Turning Research into Practice databases for national and international guidelines' that were written in English and developed or updated between 2012 and 2023. Quality of individual guidelines was assessed using the AGREE II tool.

RESULTS

Across the 41 published guidelines, 48 different recommendations were identified: 15 (31%) for prostate cancer, 11 (23%) for renal cancer, 6 (12.5%) for thyroid cancer, and 10 (21%) for blood cancer. The remaining 6 (12.5%) were for brain, gastrointestinal, oral cavity, bone and pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma cancer. When combining all guidelines, 48 (100%) stated which patients qualify for monitoring, 31 (65%) specified which tests to use, 25 (52%) provided recommendations for surveillance intervals, and 23 (48%) outlined triggers to initiate intervention. Across all cancer sites, there was a strong positive trend with higher levels of evidence being associated with an increased likelihood of a recommendation being specific (P = 0.001) and the evidence for intervals was based on expert opinion or other guidance.

CONCLUSION

With the exception of prostate cancer, the evidence base for monitoring low-risk cancer is weak and consequently recommendations in clinical guidelines are inconsistent. There is a lack of direct evidence to support monitoring recommendations in the literature making guideline developers reliant on expert opinion, alternative guidelines, or indirect or nonspecific evidence.

Impact of age on central lymph nodes involvement in papillary thyroid cancer

BACKGROUND

Total thyroidectomy is the main line of treatment for papillary thyroid cancer. Central lymph node dissection (CLND) is still debatable. In this study, we aimed to correlate the central lymph node status with the age of patients.

METHODS

This is a retrospective study including patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) who underwent total thyroidectomy and CLND at a tertiary cancer center during the period from January 2012 to September 2022. Patients were subdivided into 3groups: patients younger than 20 years old, patients between 20 and 40 years old, and patients older than 40 years old. Correlation between central lymph node status, lateral lymph node status, and harvest count with each other and between age groups was done.

RESULTS

315 patients were included. The younger the age group the higher the possibility of harboring positive central nodes, however, the positivity of lateral nodes was similar. Neither central nodal harvest nor positive central node count significantly differed between groups. The lateral nodal harvest was significantly higher in the < 20 years group with no affection to the number of positive nodes retrieved. The younger the age group the longer the disease-free survival (DFS).

CONCLUSION

We can conclude that patients younger than twenty years had a higher probability of harboring malignancy in central nodes and higher lateral node harvest on dissection. In contrast, they do have a lower incidence of recurrence.

ExPert ConsEnsus on the management of Advanced clear-cell RenaL celL carcinoma: INDIAn Perspective (PEARL-INDIA)

In advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma (aRCC), systemic therapy is the mainstay of treatment, with no or little role for surgery in these patients. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and immune-oncological (IOs) therapies, either alone or in combination, are recommended in these patients depending on patient and tumour factors. The sequencing of therapies is critical in RCC because the choice of subsequent line therapy is heavily dependent on the response and duration of the previous treatment. There are additional barriers to RCC treatment in India. Immunotherapy is the cornerstone of treatment in ccRCC, but it is prohibitively expensive and not always reimbursed, effectively putting it out of reach for the vast majority of eligible patients in India. Furthermore, in advanced RCC (particularly the clear cell variety), Indian oncologists consider the disease burden of the patients, which is particularly dependent on the quantum of the disease load, clinical symptoms, and performance status of the patient, before deciding on treatment. There are no India-specific guidelines for clear cell RCC (ccRCC) treatment or the positioning and sequencing of molecules in the management of advanced ccRCC that take these country-specific issues into account. The current consensus article provides expert recommendations and treatment algorithms based on existing clinical evidence, which will be useful to specialists managing advanced ccRCC.

Chromatin-Accessible miRNA Regulons Driving Thyroid Tumorigenesis and Progression

BACKGROUND

Although papillary thyroid cancer can remain indolent, associated lymph node metastases and recurrence rates are approximately 50% and 20%, respectively. Omics-based medicine has led to the discovery of predictive biomarkers that can be used to predict tumor progression and clinical outcomes. We aimed to develop a noninvasive omics-driven blood test to allow accurate risk stratification and help tailor individual patient treatment plans.

STUDY DESIGN

RNA sequencing (seq) and microRNA analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus datasets were employed to identify an epigenetic prognostic panel. Integrated bulk assay for transposase-accessible chromatin-seq and RNA-seq experiments confirmed the results. Sixty-two paired tumor and adjacent control thyroid tissues and 67 blood samples (62 papillary thyroid cancer and 5 controls) were analyzed for validation using sequencing and real-time polymerase chain reaction and correlated to clinical outcomes. A liposome-exosome fusion clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-fluorescent detection system miRNA assay was developed. A predictive risk nomogram was generated and tested for performance.

RESULTS

Our miRNA panel (miR-146b-5p and miR-221-3p) from tissue and blood was associated with aggressive features and was located within accessible chromatin regions. The miRNA risk score and prognostic nomogram showed higher accuracy in predicting lymph node metastases (miR-146b: area under the curve [AUC] 0.816, sensitivity 76.9%; miR-221: AUC 0.740, sensitivity 79.5%) and recurrence (miR-146b: AUC 0.921, sensitivity 75.0%; miR-221: AUC 0.756, sensitivity 70.0%; p < 0.001) than staging and American Thyroid Association risk stratification. CRISPR-based miRNA assays showed upregulation in the blood of cancer cohorts.

CONCLUSIONS

CRISPR-based detection of miR-146b and miR-221 in the blood of thyroid cancer patients is a reliable and noninvasive tool for real-time assessment and prognostication that has great potential to provide a direct impact on the care of these patients.

Ipsilateral hemigland prostate biopsy may underestimate cancer burden in patients with unilateral mpMRI-visible lesions

PURPOSE

To evaluate the cancer detection rates of reduced-core biopsy schemes in patients with unilateral mpMRI-visible intraprostatic lesions and to analyze the contribution of systematic biopsy cores in clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) detection.

METHODS

212 patients with mpMRI-visible unilateral intraprostatic lesions undergoing MRI/TRUS fusion-guided targeted biopsy (TBx) and systematic biopsy (SBx) were included. Cancer detection rates of TBx + SBx, as determined by highest Gleason Grade Group (GG), were compared to 3 reduced-core biopsy schemes: TBx alone, TBx + ipsilateral systematic biopsy (IBx; MRI-positive hemigland), and TBx + contralateral systematic biopsy (CBx; MRI-negative hemigland). Patient-level and biopsy core-level data were analyzed using descriptive statistics with confidence intervals. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify predictors of csPCa (≥ GG2) detected in MRI-negative hemiglands at p < 0.05.

RESULTS

Overall, 43.4% (92/212) of patients had csPCa and 66.0% (140/212) of patients had any PCa detected by TBx + SBx. Of patients with csPCa, 81.5% had exclusively ipsilateral involvement (MRI-positive), 7.6% had only contralateral involvement (MRI-negative), and 10.9% had bilateral involvement. The csPCa detection rates of reduced-core biopsy schemes were 35.4% (75/212), 40.1% (85/212), and 39.6% (84/212) for TBx alone, TBx + IBx, and TBx + CBx, respectively, with detection sensitivities of 81.5%, 92.4%, and 91.3% compared to TBx + SBx.

CONCLUSION

Reduced-core prostate biopsy strategies confined to the ipsilateral hemigland underestimate csPCa burden by at least 8% in patients with unilateral mpMRI-visible intraprostatic lesions. The combined TBx + SBx strategy maximizes csPCa detection.

Psychological adjustment to initial treatment for low-risk thyroid cancer: Preliminary study

BACKGROUND

Low-risk papillary thyroid carcinoma (LR-PTC) can be managed by immediate surgery (IS) or active surveillance (AS). We compare the psychological impact of these treatments on patients with LR-PTC.

METHODS

Psychological data were collected over 1 year, with assessments at the time of treatment decision (T1), at 6 months (T2) and 12 months (T3) follow-up. Assessments included 13 validated psychological tools.

RESULTS

Of 27 enrolled patients, 20 chose AS and 7 chose IS. The average times to T2 and T3 were 5.7 and 11.3 months, respectively. For both groups, Impact of Events Scale scores significantly decreased (p = 0.001) at T2, and depressive/anxiety symptoms remained low.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates the feasibility of assessing psychological outcomes among patients treated for LR-PTC. Further studies are needed to evaluate the impact of AS versus IS on quality of life and changes that patients experience over longer time periods following their treatment decision.

Mechanism-Driven and Clinically Focused Development of Botanical Foods as Multitarget Anticancer Medicine: Collective Perspectives and Insights from Preclinical Studies, IND Applications and Early-Phase Clinical Trials

Cancer progression and mortality remain challenging because of current obstacles and limitations in cancer treatment. Continuous efforts are being made to explore complementary and alternative approaches to alleviate the suffering of cancer patients. Epidemiological and nutritional studies have indicated that consuming botanical foods is linked to a lower risk of cancer incidence and/or improved cancer prognosis after diagnosis. From these observations, a variety of preclinical and clinical studies have been carried out to evaluate the potential of botanical food products as anticancer medicines. Unfortunately, many investigations have been poorly designed, and encouraging preclinical results have not been translated into clinical success. Botanical products contain a wide variety of chemicals, making them more difficult to study than traditional drugs. In this review, with the consideration of the regulatory framework of the USFDA, we share our collective experiences and lessons learned from 20 years of defining anticancer foods, focusing on the critical aspects of preclinical studies that are required for an IND application, as well as the checkpoints needed for early-phase clinical trials. We recommend a developmental pipeline that is based on mechanisms and clinical considerations.

Seeking optimization of LT4 treatment in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer

Levothyroxine sodium (LT4) is the mainstay treatment to replace thyroid hormonal production in thyroidectomized patients, but, depending on the aggressiveness of the cancer and on the risk of recurrence, patients with differentiated thyroid cancer may also be treated in a TSH-suppressive or semi-suppressive mode. The pathophysiological rationale for this LT4 treatment stems from the role of TSH, considered to be a growth factor for follicular cells, potentially inducing initiation or progression of follicular cell-derived thyroid cancer. Therefore, accurate tailoring of treatment, taking into account both patient characteristics (age and comorbidities) and risk of persistent/recurrent disease, is highly recommended. Furthermore, adjustments to traditional LT4 treatment should be made in thyroidectomized patients due to the lack of thyroidal contribution to whole body triiodothyronine (T₃) concentration. Since LT4 exhibits a narrow therapeutic index and the side effects of over- and under-treatment could be deleterious, particularly in this category of patients, caution is required in dose individualization, in the mode of ingestion, and in potential pharmacological and other types of interference as well. Our aim was to analyze the current knowledge concerning LT4 dose requirements in patients with thyroid cancer according to different therapeutic approaches, taking into account a number of factors causing interference with LT4 efficacy. Specific mention is also made about the use of the novel LT4 formulations.

Impact of Lymph Node Dissection on Postoperative Complications of Total Thyroidectomy in Patients with Thyroid Carcinoma

Background: Lymph node dissection (LND) in primary treatment of differentiated thyroid carcinoma is controversial. The aim of our retrospective study was to analyse the risk factors of post-thyroidectomy complications and to assess the morbidity of lymph node dissection, especially in the central neck compartment, since prophylactic central lymph node dissection has not been proven to bring an overall survival benefit. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of postoperative complications from 1547 consecutive patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma in an academic department of endocrine surgery over a period of 10 years. Results: A total of 535 patients underwent lymph node dissection, whereas the other 1012 did not. The rate of postoperative hypoparathyroidism was higher in patients with LND (17.6% vs. 11.4%, p = 0.001). No significant difference in the rate of permanent hypoparathyroidism (2.4% vs. 1.3%, p = 0.096) was observed between these two groups. A multivariate analysis was performed. Female gender, ipsilateral and bilateral central LND (CLND), parathyroid autotransplantation, and the presence of the parathyroid gland on the resected thyroid were associated with transient hypoparathyroidism. Bilateral CLND and the presence of the parathyroid gland on specimen were associated with permanent hypoparathyroidism. The rate of transient recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury (15.3% vs. 5.4%, p < 0.001) and permanent RLN injury (6.5% vs. 0.9%, p < 0.001) were higher in the LND group. In multivariate analysis, ipsilateral and bilateral lateral LND (LLND) were the main predictive factors of transient and permanent RLN injury. Bilateral RLN injury (2.6% vs. 0.4%, p < 0.001), chyle leakage (2.4% vs. 0%, p < 0.001), other nerve injuries (2.2% vs. 0%, p < 0.001), and abscess (2.4% vs. 0.5%, p = 0.001) were higher in the patients with LND. Conclusions: The surgical technique and the extent of lymph node dissection during surgery for thyroid carcinoma increase postoperative morbidity. A wider knowledge of lymph-node-dissection-related complications associated with thyroid surgery could help surgeons to carefully evaluate the surgical and medical therapeutic options.

Low Accuracy of FIB-4 and NAFLD Fibrosis Scores for Screening for Liver Fibrosis in the Population

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) and the nonalcoholic fatty liver disease fibrosis score (NFS) are the 2 most popular noninvasive blood-based serum tests proposed for widespread fibrosis screening. We therefore aimed to describe the accuracy of FIB-4 and NFS to detect elevated liver stiffness as an indicator of hepatic fibrosis in low-prevalence populations.

METHODS

This study included a total of 5129 patients with concomitant measurement of FIB-4, NFS, and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) by Fibroscan (Echosens, France) from 5 independent population-based cohorts from Spain, Hong Kong, Denmark, England, and France; 3979 participants from the general population and 1150 from at-risk cohorts due to alcohol, diabetes, or obesity. We correlated LSM with FIB-4 and NFS, and calculated pre- and post-test predictive values of FIB-4 and NFS to detect elevated LSM at 8 kPa and 12 kPa cutoffs. The mean age was 53 ± 12 years, the mean body mass index was 27 ± 5 kg/m², and 2439 (57%) were women. One in 10 patients (552; 11%) had liver stiffness ≥8 kPa, but 239 of those (43%) had a normal FIB-4, and 171 (31%) had normal NFS. The proportion of false-negatives was higher in at-risk patients than the general population. FIB-4 was false-negative in 11% of diabetic subjects, compared with 2.5% false-negatives with NFS. Waist circumference outperformed FIB-4 and NFS for detecting LSM ≥8 kPa in the general population. Almost one-third (28%-29%) of elevated FIB-4/NFS were false-positive in both the general population and at-risk cohorts.

CONCLUSIONS

FIB-4 and NFS are suboptimal for screening purposes due to a high risk of overdiagnosis and a non-negligible percentage of false-negatives, especially in patients with risk factors for chronic liver disease. Waist circumference emerged as a potential first step to identify patients at risk for liver fibrosis in the general population.

Understanding Hospital-Level Patterns of Nonoperative Management for Low-risk Thyroid and Kidney Cancer

IMPORTANCE

There is a growing trend toward conservative management for certain low-risk cancers. Hospital and health-system factors may play a role in determining how these patients are managed.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the contribution of hospitals on patients' odds of nonoperative management for low-risk cancer.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

In this cross-sectional study, individuals with low-risk papillary thyroid cancer and solitary kidney masses were identified, and those receiving nonoperative management vs surgery were compared. Patients with low-risk thyroid cancer and kidney cancer from 2015 to 2017 eligible for nonoperative management according to National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines within the National Cancer Database were included. Data were analyzed from October 2021 to March 2022.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

For each facility, the proportion of these patients who received operative and nonoperative management was calculated. A mixed-effects logistic regression model with a hospital-level random effects term was used to calculate factors associated with nonoperative management. Between-hospital variability was assessed using ranked caterpillar plots.

RESULTS

There were 19 570 individuals with low-risk thyroid cancer (15 344 women [78.4%]; mean [SD] age, 51.74 [95% CI, 51.39-52.08] years) and 41 403 with kidney cancer (25 253 men [61.0%]; mean [SD] age, 61.93 [95% CI, 61.70-62.17] years). In the group with low-risk thyroid cancer, 2.1% (419 patients) received nonoperative management, and in the group with kidney cancer, 9.5% (3928 patients) received nonoperative management. This varied between hospitals from 1.1% (95% CI, 1.0%-1.1%) in the bottom decile to 10.3% (95% CI, 8.0%-12.4%) in the top decile for low-risk thyroid cancer, and from 4.3% (95% CI, 4.1%-4.4%) in the bottom decile to 24.6% (95% CI, 22.7%-26.5%) in the top decile for small kidney masses. For both cancers, age was associated with increased odds of nonoperative treatment. The hospital-level odds of nonoperative management of thyroid and kidney cancer using unadjusted probabilities (observed proportions) were minimally correlated (Spearman ρ = .33; P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

The findings of this study suggest that although health systems factors may be associated with the tendency to pursue nonoperative management, hospital-level factors may differ when comparing unrelated cancers.

Factors That Inform Individual Decision Making Between Active Surveillance, Hemithyroidectomy and Total Thyroidectomy for Low-Risk Thyroid Cancer: A Scoping Review

Background: Due to the excellent prognosis and relatively high incidence of small low-risk thyroid cancers, more conservative management strategies such as active surveillance (AS) or hemithyroidectomy (HT) may be preferable to total thyroidectomy (TT) for patients seeking to balance long-term survival rates with the potential adverse effects of overtreatment. The aim of this review was to synthesize key factors or variables that inform patient decision making about treatment for low-risk thyroid cancer, from current primary investigations that presented participants with information facilitating this choice. Methods: Studies were identified from the Medline, Cochrane, and Embase databases up until March 2022. Study characteristics were extracted into a pre-piloted form. Factors were hypothesized to include treatment-related risks and possible outcomes and identified from a review of studies with consensus by discussion. Results: The search identified 444 unique studies: 397 were excluded on review of abstract and title with 47 studies undergoing a full text review and 6 studies identified to be eligible. Four were cross-sectional: one a prospective cohort study and one a mixed-methods study with both a prospective observational and qualitative component. The decisions addressed included: the choice between AS versus surgery (HT and/or TT) and HT versus TT and enrolled participants ranging from healthy volunteers to thyroid cancer patients. Treatment choice was the primary outcome in five studies. Across the studies, participants who were given the option of AS or surgery predominately chose the more conservative pathway, with a range of 70-84%. The major factors represented by information provision in the studies were risk of cancer recurrence or spread, need for hormone replacement therapy, and voice change. Conclusions: A framework of key factors informing patient treatment choice may be derived from current studies involving information provision for low-risk thyroid cancer management. Further research evaluating the efficacy and optimal timing for decision support interventions would help inform the design and clinical use of these tools to promote shared decision making.

Barriers to the Use of Active Surveillance for Thyroid Cancer Results of a Physician Survey

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine physician-reported use of and barriers to active surveillance for thyroid cancer.

SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA

It is not clear whether active surveillance for thyroid cancer is widely used.

METHODS

Surgeons and endocrinologists identified by thyroid cancer patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registries of Georgia and Los Angeles County were surveyed between 2018 and 2019. Multivariable weighted logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine physician acceptance and use of active surveillance. Results: Of the 654 eligible physicians identified, 448 responded to the survey (69% response rate). The majority (76%) believed that active surveillance was an appropriate management option, but only 44% used it in their practice. Characteristics of physicians who stated that active surveillance was appropriate management, but did not report using it included more years in practice (reference group <10 years in practice): 10 to 19 years [odds ratio, OR 0.50 [95% confidence interval, CI 0.28-0.92]; 20 to 29 years [OR 0.31 (95% CI 0.15-0.62)]; >30 years [OR 0.30 (95% CI 0.15-0.61)] and higher patient volume 11 to 30 patients per year [OR 0.39 (95% CI 0.21 -0.70)] and >50 patients per year [OR 0.33 (95% CI 0.16-0.71)] compared to < 10, with no significant difference in those seeing 31 to 50 patients. Physicians reported multiple barriers to implementing active surveillance including patient does not want (80.3%), loss to follow-up concern (78.4%), more patient worry (57.6%), and malpractice lawsuit concern (50.9%).

CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE

Despite most physicians considering active surveillance to be appropriate management, more than half are not using it. Addressing existing barriers is key to improving uptake.

An exploration of wellbeing in men diagnosed with prostate cancer undergoing active surveillance: a qualitative study

PURPOSE

There is a growing emphasis on improving quality of life of people with prostate cancer. However, those undergoing active surveillance remain underrepresented in the literature with less known about their unique challenges. Therefore, we aimed to explore their lived experiences post diagnosis and its effect on their mental, social, and physical wellbeing.

METHODS

Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 men undergoing active surveillance for low-risk disease. Thematic analysis was used to inductively co-construct themes through the lens of the biopsychosocial model.

RESULTS

Mental wellbeing was strongly affected in our participants due to the overwhelming emotional impact of their diagnosis resulting in an 'Emotional Diagnostic Disequilibrium'. Informational awareness and education about prostate cancer helped patients with 'Recognition of the Impact'. Patients experienced an 'Unsettling Monitoring Cycle' due to the increased fear and anxiety around PSA monitoring appointments, with some men ignoring their mental wellbeing needs as their disease is 'A Future Problem'. 'Concealment of Diagnosis' left many feeling isolated and highlighted an important coping mechanisms in the 'Importance of a Social Support Network' theme. Finally, physical health mostly changed through alterations in health behaviour, leading to 'A Healthier Lifestyle' with increasing attribution of physical symptoms to age through 'Symptomatic Overshadowing'.

CONCLUSION

The greatest disease impact on men's wellbeing was at the time of diagnosis, with a subsequent cyclical anxiety and fear of disease progression prominent around monitoring appointments. Future research should explore ways to better support patients with these issues and at these times, improving their quality of life.

Active Surveillance Versus Thyroid Surgery for Differentiated Thyroid Cancer: A Systematic Review

Background: Active surveillance has been proposed as an appropriate management strategy for low-risk differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC), due to the typically favorable prognosis of this condition. This systematic review examines the benefits and harms of active surveillance vs. immediate surgery for DTC, to inform the updated American Thyroid Association guidelines. Methods: A search on Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Central was conducted in July 2021 for studies on active surveillance vs. immediate surgery. Studies of surgery vs. no surgery for DTC were assessed separately to evaluate relevance to active surveillance. Quality assessment was performed, and evidence was synthesized narratively. Results: Seven studies (five cohort studies [N = 5432] and two cross-sectional studies [N = 538]) of active surveillance vs. immediate surgery, and seven uncontrolled treatment series of active surveillance (N = 1219) were included. One cross-sectional study was rated fair quality, and the remainder were rated poor quality. In patients with low risk (primarily papillary), small (primarily ≤1 cm) DTC, active surveillance, and immediate surgery were associated with similar, low risk of all-cause or cancer-specific mortality, distant metastasis, and recurrence after surgery. Uncontrolled treatment series reported no cases of mortality in low-risk DTC managed with active surveillance. Among patients managed with active surveillance, rates of tumor growth were low; rates of subsequent surgery varied and primarily occurred due to patient preference rather than tumor progression. Four cohort studies (N = 88,654) found that surgery associated with improved all-cause or thyroid cancer mortality compared with nonsurgical management, but findings were potentially influenced by patient age and tumor risk category and highly susceptible to confounding by indication; eligibility for, and receipt of, active surveillance; and timing of surgery was unclear. Conclusions: In patients with small low-risk (primarily papillary) DTC, active surveillance and immediate surgery may be associated with similar mortality, risk of recurrence, and other outcomes, but methodological limitations preclude strong conclusions. Studies of no surgery vs. surgery are difficult to interpret due to clinical heterogeneity and potential confounding factors and are unsuitable for assessing the utility of active surveillance. Research is needed to clarify the benefits and harms of active surveillance and determine outcomes in nonpapillary DTC, larger (>1 cm) cancers, and older patients.

A web-based personalized decision support tool for patients diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ: development, content evaluation, and usability testing

PURPOSE

Patients diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) face trade-offs when deciding among different treatments, including surgery, radiation, and endocrine therapy. A less chosen option is active monitoring. While evidence from clinical trials is not yet available, observational studies show comparable results for active monitoring and immediate treatment on cancer outcomes in select subgroups of patients. We developed and tested a web-based decision support tool (DST) to help patients explore current knowledge about DCIS and make an informed choice.

METHODS

The DST, an interactive web application, was informed by literature reviews and formative work with patients, breast surgeons, and health communication experts. We conducted iterative interviews to evaluate the DST content among women with and without a history of breast cancer, as well as breast cancer experts. For usability testing, we conducted an online survey among women with and without a history of breast cancer.

RESULTS

For content evaluation, 5 women with and 10 women without a history of DCIS were interviewed. The sample included 11 White and 4 non-White women, with a mean age of 64 years. The expert sample consisted of 5 attendings and a physician assistant. The feedback was used to add, clarify, or reorganize information in the DST. For usability testing, 22 participants with a mean age of 61 years were recruited including 15 White and 7 Black women and 6 women with a history of DCIS. The mean usability score was 3.7 out of 5. Most participants (86%) found that the DST provided unbiased information about treatments. To improve usability, we reduced the per-page content and added navigation cues.

CONCLUSION

Content and usability evaluation showed that the DST helps patients explore trade-offs of active monitoring and immediate treatment. By adopting a personalized approach, the tool will enable informed decisions aligned with patients' values and expectations.

Public Health Radiography: A Scoping Review of Benefits, and Growth Opportunities for Radiographers

INTRODUCTION

There is growing adoption of radiographic techniques in public health to improve outcomes of chronic and communicable diseases. This review examines the applications, benefits, and implications of radiography in public health. It also examines the challenges and potential advanced practice roles for radiographers in public health radiography (PHR).

METHODOLOGY

Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses - Scoping review extension (PRISMA- ScR) checklist was employed, and the search was conducted using PubMed, Medline, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar to identify relevant articles that explored the concept of radiography in public health. Evidence was analysed using an inductive iterative approach.

RESULTS

Radiographic imaging modalities such as ultrasound, computed tomography, and plain X-ray had wide applicability in public health fields of preventive cardiology, preventive oncology, maternal health, infectious disease epidemiology, and radiographic informatics. PHR effectively reduced mortality, improved outcomes, informed lifestyle changes to mitigate the risk of impending disease. PHR also helped in monitoring disease progression and predicting treatment outcomes. However, evidence establishing a competency framework that supports PHR is scarce.

CONCLUSION

Radiography makes a significant contribution to public health in reducing mortality and morbidity. Therefore, developing a PHR competency framework can accentuate the contribution Radiographers make to solving public health issues.

Barriers and facilitators to mobile health and active surveillance use among older adults with skin disease

Background

The COVID‐19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of telemedicine, including teledermatology. Monitoring skin lesions using teledermatology may become increasingly important for several skin diseases, including low‐risk skin cancers. The purpose of this study was to describe the key factors that could serve as barriers or facilitators to skin disease monitoring using mobile health technology (mHealth) in older adults.

Methods

Older adult dermatology patients 65 years or older and their caregivers who have seen a dermatologist in the last 18 months were interviewed and surveyed between December 2019 and July 2020. The purpose of these interviews was to better understand attitudes, beliefs and behaviours that could serve as barriers and facilitators to the use of mHealth and active surveillance to monitor low‐risk skin cancers.

Results

A total of 33 interviews leading to 6022 unique excerpts yielded 8 factors, or themes, that could serve as barriers, facilitators or both to mHealth and active surveillance. We propose an integrated conceptual framework that highlights the interaction of these themes at both the patient and provider level, including care environment, support systems and personal values.

Discussion and conclusions

These preliminary findings reveal factors influencing patient acceptance of active surveillance in dermatology, such as changes to the patient‐provider interaction and alignment with personal values. These factors were also found to influence adoption of mHealth interventions. Given such overlap, it is essential to address barriers and facilitators from both domains when designing a new dermatology active surveillance approach with novel mHealth technology.

Patient or public contribution

The patients included in this study were participants during the data collection process. Members of the Stanford Healthcare and Denver Tech Dermatology health‐care teams aided in the recruitment phase of the data collection process.

Triggers of thyroid cancer diagnosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

Understanding the method of thyroid cancer detection has potential implications on interpreting incidence rates, the diagnosis and management of thyroid cancer. We conducted a systematic review of studies reporting methods of thyroid cancer detection to estimate the frequency of incidentally found cancers and classify triggers of incidental thyroid cancer diagnosis.

METHODS

We searched multiple bibliographic databases from inception to June 2020. A pair of reviewers, working independently and in duplicate selected studies for inclusion, extracted data, and evaluated each trial's risk of bias. Studies enrolling patients older than 18 years with thyroid cancer confirmed histologically were included.

RESULTS

In total, 17 cohorts and 1 cross-sectional study, conducted between 1991 and 2018, enrolling 4668 patients with thyroid cancer were included: 88% had papillary thyroid cancer and 23% had papillary thyroid microcarcinoma. The proportion of patients with non-incidental and incidental thyroid cancer was similar: 49% [95% confidence interval (CI): 40-58%]. Subgroup analysis showed that most patients with incidental thyroid cancers had tumor size <10 mm (76%; 95% CI: 56-92%), age >45 (61%; 95% CI: 56-67%), and were detected through imaging (35%; 95% CI: 26-45%), of which ultrasound was the most common modality (27%; 95% CI: 14-43%). The heterogeneity for all the effect sizes was large and significant.

CONCLUSIONS

About half of thyroid cancers were found incidentally through the use of imaging studies, in particular neck ultrasound. These incidentally found cancers were mostly small papillary thyroid cancer. These results highlight opportunities for interventions aimed at reducing drivers of overdiagnosis.

Primary Care Providers' Perceptions About Participating in Low-Risk Prostate Cancer Treatment Decisions

BACKGROUND

Primary care provider's (PCP) role in cancer care is expanding and may include supporting patients in their treatment decisions. However, the degree to which PCPs engage in this role for low-risk prostate cancer is unknown.

OBJECTIVE

Characterize PCP perceptions regarding their role in low-risk prostate cancer treatment decision-making.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional, national survey.

MAIN MEASURES

For men with low-risk prostate cancer, PCP reports of (1) confidence in treatment decision-making (high vs. low); (2) intended participation in key aspects of active surveillance treatment decision-making (more vs. less).

KEY RESULTS

A total of 347 from 741 eligible PCPs responded (adjusted response rate 56%). Half of respondent PCPs (50.3%) reported high confidence about engaging in low-risk prostate cancer treatment decision-making. The odds of PCPs reporting high confidence were greater among those in solo practice (vs working with > 1 PCP) (OR 2.18; 95% CI 1.14-4.17) and with higher volume of prostate cancer patients (> 15 vs. 6-10 in past year) (OR 2.16; 95% CI 1.02-4.61). PCP report of their intended participation in key aspects of active surveillance treatment decision-making varied: discussing worry (62.4%), reviewing benefits (48.5%) and risks (41.8%), and reviewing all treatment options (34.2%). PCPs who reported high confidence had increased odds of more participation in all aspects of active surveillance decision-making: reviewing all treatment options (OR 3.11; 95% CI 1.82-5.32), discussing worry (OR 2.12; 95% CI 1.28-3.51), and reviewing benefits (OR 3.13; 95% CI 1.89-5.16) and risks (OR 3.20; 95% CI 1.91-5.36).

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of PCPs were confident about engaging with patients in low-risk prostate cancer treatment decision-making, though their intended participation varied widely across four key aspects of active surveillance care. With active surveillance being considered for other low-risk cancers (such as breast and thyroid), understanding factors influencing PCP involvement will be instrumental to supporting team-based cancer care.

Active surveillance as a management option for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2: An online experimental study

OBJECTIVE

To investigate framing of active surveillance as a management option for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN)2 in women of childbearing age.

METHODS

We conducted a between-subjects factorial (2 × 2) randomised experiment. Women aged 25-40 living in Australia were presented with the same hypothetical pathway of testing human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive, high-grade cytology and a diagnosis of CIN2, through an online survey. They were randomised to one of four groups to evaluate the effects of (i) framing (method of explaining resolution of abnormal cells) and (ii) inclusion of an overtreatment statement (included versus not). Primary outcome was management choice following the scenario: active surveillance or surgery.

RESULTS

1638 women were randomised. Overall, preference for active surveillance was high (78.9%; n = 1293/1638). There was no effect of framing or providing overtreatment information, or their interaction, on management choice. After adjusting for intervention received, age, education, and other model covariates, participants were more likely to choose active surveillance over surgery if they had not already had children, had plans for children in the future, had no family history of cancer, had no history of endometriosis, had adequate health literacy, and more trust in their GP. Participants were less likely to choose active surveillance over surgery if they were more predisposed to seek health care for minor problems.

CONCLUSIONS

Although we found no framing effect across the four conditions, we found a high level of preference for active surveillance with associations of increased preference that accord with the desire to minimise potential risks of CIN2 treatment on obstetric outcomes. These are valuable data for future clinical trials of active surveillance for management of CIN2 in younger women of childbearing age.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12618002043213, 20/12/2018, prior to participant enrolment).

Risk factors of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma that predispose patients to local recurrence

BACKGROUND

Currently, less aggressive treatment or even active surveillance of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) is widely accepted and recommended as a therapeutic management option. However, there are some concerns about these approaches. We investigated whether there are any demographic, clinical and ultrasound characteristics of PTMC patients that are easy to obtain and clinically available before surgery to help clinicians make proper therapeutic decisions.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective chart review of 5,021 patients with thyroid tumors surgically treated in one center in 2008-2018. Finally, 182 (3.62%) PTMC patients were selected (158 (86.8%) females and 24 (13.2%) males, mean age 48.8±15.4 years). We analyzed the disease-free survival (DFS) time of the PTMC patients according to demographic and histopathological parameters. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to assess the relationships of demographic, clinical and ultrasound characteristics with aggressive histopathological features.

RESULTS

Age ≥55 years, hypoechogenicity, microcalcifications, irregular tumor shape, smooth margins and high vascularity significantly increased the risk for minimal extrathyroidal extension (minETE), lymph node metastasis (LNM), and capsular and vascular invasion (p<0.0001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated a statistically significant risk of LNM (OR = 5.98, 95% CI: 2.32-15.38, p = 0.0002) and trends toward significantly higher rates of minETE and capsular and vascular invasion (OR = 2.24, 95% CI: 0.97-5.19, p = 0.056) in patients ≥55 years than in their younger counterparts. The DFS time was significantly shorter in patients ≥55 years (p = 0.015), patients with minETE and capsular and vascular invasion (p = 0.001 for all), patients with tumor size >5 mm (p = 0.021), and patients with LNM (p = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

The absence of microcalcifications, irregular tumor shape, blunt margins, hypoechogenicity and high vascularity in PTMC patients below 55 years and with tumor diameters below 5 mm may allow clinicians to select individuals with a low risk of local recurrence so that they can receive less aggressive management.

Life Expectancy and Treatment Patterns in Elderly Patients With Low-Risk Papillary Thyroid Cancer: A Population-Based Analysis

OBJECTIVE

Guidelines endorse active surveillance for low-risk papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), but this is not commonly utilized. Those with limited life expectancy due to age and comorbidity may be best suited for active surveillance given their higher likelihood of other-cause mortality compared to disease-specific mortality.

METHODS

Surveillance, epidemiology, and end results-Medicare was queried for patients >65 years with T1, N0, M0 PTC who received surgery. We evaluated the overall survival, disease-specific survival (DSS), and survival based on tumor size and extent of surgery (hemi- vs total thyroidectomy). We created a competing risk model to identify the cumulative incidence of other-cause mortality to define patient groups with life expectancies of less than 10 and 15 years.

RESULTS

A total of 3280 patients were included. The 20-year overall survival and DSS were 38.2% and 98.5%, respectively. DSS was comparable between patients based on tumor size and surgery. The cancer cohort had better survival compared to matched controls (P < .001). Life expectancy was less than 15 years for any patient aged >80 years regardless of Charlson comorbidity score (CCS ≥ 0) and any patient aged >70 years with CCS ≥ 1. Life expectancy was less than 10 years for any patient a >80 years with CCS ≥ 1 and aged >70 years with CCS ≥ 3.

CONCLUSION

Older patients with comorbidities have limited life expectancies but excellent DSS from low-risk PTC. Incorporating life expectancy into management decisions and guidelines would likely promote selection of less aggressive management for populations that are most suited for this approach.

Expression of Class III Beta-Tubulin Is Associated with Invasive Potential and Poor Prognosis in Thyroid Carcinoma

Although American Thyroid Association guidelines offer a risk stratification scheme for thyroid cancer patients, there is a continuous need for more sophisticated biomarkers that can predict disease progression. In this study, we aim to evaluate the prognostic value of class III beta-tubulin (TUBB3) and uncover the relationship between TUBB3 and invasive potential in thyroid carcinoma. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for TUBB3 and E-cadherin was performed on a total of 254 cases of thyroid cancer specimens. Tumor budding at the invasive margin was evaluated. In vitro functional studies were also performed; the protein and mRNA levels of TUBB3 were compared among the five cell types at baseline, with transwell invasion and after blocking of TUBB3 by shRNA. IHC revealed that the levels of TUBB3 were higher in conventional papillary carcinomas (cPTCs) and anaplastic thyroid carcinomas (ATCs). In univariate analysis, high tumor budding and TUBB3 expression were associated with inferior progression-free survival in cPTC. The results of a Western blot and RT-PCR agreed with the IHC finding. The results were further validated through data from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Our results suggest that high expression of TUBB3 in thyroid carcinoma could predict invasive potential and possibly be linked with epithelial–mesenchymal transition.

Income differences in screening, incidence, postoperative complications, and mortality of thyroid cancer in South Korea: a national population-based time trend study

Background

The incidence of thyroid cancer (TC) has increased rapidly over the past few decades in Korea. This study investigated whether the TC epidemic has been driven by overdiagnosis.

Methods

We calculated the TC screening rate from mid-2008 through mid-2014, and the incidence, postoperative complication, and mortality rates of TC between 2006 and 2015, using data from the Korea Community Health Survey, the National Health Insurance Database, and the cause-of-death data of Statistics Korea. Trends in age-standardized rates of all indicators were examined, along with income gaps therein. Analyses were conducted for lung cancer and stroke as negative control outcomes.

Results

The incidence rate of TC increased from 46.6 per 100,000 to 115.0 per 100,000 between 2006 and 2012, and then decreased to 63.5 per 100,000 in 2015. Despite these remarkable changes in incidence, mortality did not fluctuate during the same period. High income was associated with high rates of screening, incidence, and postoperative complications, while low income showed an association with a high mortality rate. Analyses using negative control outcomes showed that high income was associated with low rates of both incidence and mortality, which contrasted with the patterns of TC. The recent decreases in TC incidence and postoperative complications, which reflect societal concerns about the overdiagnosis of TC, were more pronounced in high-income individuals than in low-income individuals.

Conclusions

The time trends in income gaps in screening, incidence, postoperative complications, and mortality of TC, as well as negative control outcomes, provided corroborating evidence of TC overdiagnosis in Korea.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-020-07597-4.

Effects of zinc finger protein 403 on the proliferation, migration and invasion abilities of prostate cancer cells

Zinc finger protein 403 (ZFP403), located on human chromosome 17q12-21, is closely associated with the development of cancer. However, to date, there are a limited number of studies on the biological functions of this gene, particularly in prostate cancer (PCa). The results of the present study demonstrated that compared with normal tissues, the expression of ZFP403 was markedly lower in PCa tissues, as shown by the evaluation of the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis 2 database. The decreased expression of ZFP403 in PCa clinical tissues and cell lines was confirmed by immunohistochemistry, reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blot analysis. Using short harpin (sh)RNA inhibition, stably-silenced ZFP403 cell lines were then constructed by lentiviral transfection (LV-PC3-shRNA-1 and 2; LV-DU145-shRNA-1 and 2). The results revealed that the knockdown of ZFP403 in PCa cells promoted cellular proliferation, colony formation, migration and invasiveness in vitro. Moreover, the levels of tumor growth- and motility-related proteins were significantly altered after ZFP403-knockdown. A xenograft tumor model using nude mice was established to elucidate the role of ZFP403 in tumorigenesis in vivo. Tumor growth was significantly increased in mice injected with ZFP403-knockdown cells compared with the control mice. Overall, the findings of the present study demonstrate that ZFP403 functions as a tumor suppressor gene in PCa by affecting the proliferation, migration and invasiveness of PCa cells, suggesting its potential use as a clinical diagnostic marker.

Guideline Implementation on Fine-Needle Aspiration for Thyroid Nodules: Focusing on Micronodules

OBJECTIVE

We investigated patients who were referred to our institution after fine-needle aspiration (FNA) was performed at outside clinics to evaluate how many nodules satisfied the FNA indications of the Korean Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (K-TIRADS) and compare that to the number of thyroid nodules that satisfy the FNA indications of the American College of Radiology (ACR)-TIRADS and American Thyroid Association (ATA) guidelines.

METHODS

Between January 2018 and December 2018, 2,628 patients were included in our study. The included patients were those referred for thyroid surgery after having a suspicious thyroid nodule. We retrospectively applied the three guidelines to each thyroid nodule and determined whether each nodule satisfied the FNA indications. We compared the proportion of nodules satisfying the FNA indications of each guideline using a generalized linear model and generalized estimating equation.

RESULTS

The median size of the 2,628 thyroid nodules was 0.9 cm (range, 0.2 to 9.5 cm). We found that FNA was not indicated for 54.1%, 47.7%, and 19.1% of nodules and 87.3%, 99.0%, and 97.8% among them were micronodules (<1 cm) according to the ACR-TIRADS, ATA guideline, and K-TIRADS, respectively. The proportion of micronodules which satisfied the FNA indications was significantly higher for the K-TIRADS (65.1%) compared to the ACR TIRADS (12.1%) and ATA guideline (12.1%) (P<.001).

CONCLUSION

Among patients referred for thyroid surgery to our institutions, about 35% of the micronodules underwent FNA despite not being appropriate for indications by the K-TIRADS. Systematic training for physicians as well as modifications to increase the sensitivity of the guideline may be needed to reduce the overdiagnosis of thyroid cancers, especially for micronodules.

Experience with Active Surveillance of Thyroid Low-Risk Carcinoma in a Developing Country

Background: The incidence of thyroid carcinoma is growing worldwide. More than 50% of new malignant tumors are classified as classical papillary carcinomas in low-risk category with a low rate of recurrence and high long-term survival. Active surveillance is a strategy to control low-risk tumor evolution with the intention to avoid unnecessary treatments and maintain thyroid function. The aim of this study was to report a cohort of patients with thyroid nodules classified as Bethesda V-VI and who are under active surveillance in Colombia. Methods: A prospective cohort was assembled since January 2015. All patients had been evaluated clinically, biochemically with ultrasonography and fine needle aspiration biopsy previous to the first evaluation. Active surveillance was proposed to patients with asymptomatic low-risk carcinoma (<1.5 cm, encapsulated, without evidence of lymph node metastasis), independent of sex or age. The strategy included a specific discussion about the surgical option and expected risk of complications, risk of long-term thyroxine support, and the active surveillance strategy. The data on age, sex, reason for an ultrasound examination, ultrasound risk by American Thyroid Association (ATA) classification, size and volume of the nodule, reason to consider active surveillance and follow-up ultrasounds, and surgical decision were recorded prospectively. A Kaplan-Meier curve was constructed for the rate of growth and increase in volume of the nodule, growth >3 mm and increase in volume >50%, and need of operation. Results: One hundred two patients were analyzed. Seventy-five percent of patients had a nodule smaller than 1 cm. Only 24/102 (23%) nodules were classified as ATA low risk. Thirty-four of 102 (33.3%) nodules were classified as Bethesda VI and the others were Bethesda V. The median follow-up was 13.9 months, and 32.3% of patients had more than 24 months of follow-up. Only 11/102 (10.8%) nodules grew more than 3 mm and 26/102 (25.5%) nodules grew more than 50% in volume. 12.7% patients were submitted to surgery. The overall stability rate without growth >3 mm, without volume increase >50%, and without surgery at 24 months were 89.8%, 77.0%, and 85.5%, respectively Conclusions: Active surveillance is possible in developing Western countries with similar results to those provided by Asian and American authors.

Pediatric thyroidectomies: A surgical subspecialty comparison

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to establish the typical population, safety, and outcomes of pediatric thyroidectomies, specifically identifying surgical complication rates. Furthermore, the study compares management and complication differences between the two specialties that most often manage these patients - Pediatric General Surgery and Otolaryngology.

METHODS

National Surgical Quality Improvement Program - Pediatrics (NSQIP-P) data between the years of 2012 and 2016 was reviewed and analyzed for patient characteristics, perioperative course and outcomes. Sub-group analysis was used to compare groups based on surgeon sub-specialty: Otolaryngology or Pediatric General Surgery.

RESULTS

The study identified 516 cases pediatric patients operated on by Pediatric Otolaryngology (229; 44.4%) and Pediatric General Surgery (287; 55.6%). Overall, rates of surgical and medical adverse events were low (1.2% and 0.7%, respectively). Upon univariate analysis, there were no differences between specialties in surgical adverse events (p = 1.000), medical adverse events (p = 0.196), reoperation (p = 0.505), or readmission (p = 0.262). Indication for surgery differed between specialties, with benign neoplasm more common in the Pediatric Otolaryngology group (48.9% vs. 35.2%), and thyrotoxicosis more common in the Pediatric General Surgery group (43.9% vs. 23.1%) (p < 0.001). Compared to cases done by Otolaryngology, Pediatric General Surgery was independently associated with a shorter operative time (B: -31.583 min [95% CI: -42.802 to -20.364]; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Thyroidectomy in the pediatric population is a safe procedure with no differences in adverse outcomes noted when comparing Pediatric General Surgeons to Pediatric Otolaryngologists. Pediatric General Surgeons were observed to have a significantly shorter operative time.

Lymph node metastasis in young and middle-aged papillary thyroid carcinoma patients: a SEER-based cohort study

BACKGROUND

Lymph node metastasis (LNM) occurs frequently in young papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients, though the mortality rates are low. We aimed to analyze the relationship between age at diagnosis and LNM in PTC at a population level to elucidate the clinical behavior of PTC.

METHODS

Data of adult patients with surgically treated PTC and follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database (2004-2015) to investigate the relationship between age and clinical characteristics by curve estimation. The adjusted odds ratio of age and LNM rate were determined.

RESULTS

A total of 50,347 PTC (48,166) and FTC (2181) (median age: 45 and 50 years, respectively) patients met the inclusion criteria; 44.5% of those with PTC (21,428) had LNM. Rank-sum test analysis indicated differences in distribution of age in LNM-positive and LNM-negative PTC. The relationship between age, tumor size and LNM showed a quadratic curve in PTC. The mean tumor diameter and LNM rate correlated linearly with age in 18-59-year-old patients. LNM rate decreased with age (R² = 0.932, P < .0001), especially women (R² = 0.951, P < .0001).

CONCLUSION

In young and middle-aged PTC patients, LNM may resolve spontaneously with delayed diagnosis and management. Active surveillance of low-risk PTC is justified.

Early Diagnosis of Low-Risk Papillary Thyroid Cancer Results Rather in Overtreatment Than a Better Survival

We are witnessing a rapid worldwide increase in the incidence of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) in the last thirty years. Extensive implementation of cancer screening and wide availability of neck ultrasound or other imaging studies is the main reason responsible for this phenomenon. It resulted in a detection of a growing number of clinically asymptomatic PTCs, mainly low-risk tumors, without any beneficial impact on survival. An indolent nature of low-risk PTC, particularly papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC), and the excellent outcomes raise an ongoing discussion regarding the adequacy of treatment applied. The question of whether PTMC is overtreated or not is currently completed by another, whether PTMC requires any treatment. Current ATA guidelines propose less extensive preoperative diagnostics and, if differentiated thyroid cancer is diagnosed, less aggressive surgical approach and limit indications for postoperative radioiodine therapy. However, in intrathyroidal PTMCs in the absence of lymph node or distant metastases, active surveillance may constitute alternative management with a low progression rate of 1%-5% and without any increase in the risk of poorer outcomes related to delayed surgery in patients, in whom it was necessary. This review summarizes the current knowledge and future perspectives of active surveillance in low-risk PTC.

The Impact of Regional Variation in Clinical Practice on Thyroid Cancer Diagnosis: A National Population-Based Study

OBJECTIVE

Regional variation in thyroid cancer incidence in Belgium, most pronounced for low risk cancer, was previously shown to be related to variation in clinical practice, with higher thyroid surgery rates and lower proportions of preoperative fine-needle aspiration (FNA) in regions with high thyroid cancer incidence (period 2004-2006). The objective of this study was to investigate regional thyroid cancer incidence variation in relation with variation in thyroid surgery threshold in a more recent Belgian thyroid cancer cohort.

METHODS

A population-based cohort of thyroid cancer patients that underwent a (near) total thyroidectomy in the period 2009-2011 (n = 2,329 patients) was identified and studied by linking data from the Belgian cancer registry and the Belgian health insurance companies, and case-by-case study of the pathology protocols. The execution of preoperative FNA and the thyroid resection specimen weight were compared between high and low thyroid cancer incidence regions. Thyroid weight in the pT1a-restricted group was studied as a proxy for surgical threshold for benign nodular goiter. Furthermore, time trend analyses were performed for the execution of FNA for the period 2004-2012.

RESULTS

Although a lower proportion of FNA in the high thyroid cancer incidence region persisted in the period 2009-2011 (41.2% [31.9-50.9] vs. 72.9% [64.9-79.7] in the low-incidence region (LIR), p < 0.001), a positive time trend was observed for the period 2004-2012. The median thyroid surgical specimen weight was lower in the high incidence region compared to the LIR (27.0 g [IQR 18.0-45.3] vs. 36.0 g [IQR 22.0-73.0], p < 0.0001), and this finding was corroborated in the pT1a-restricted group.

CONCLUSION

Interregional differences in use of FNA and surgical thyroid specimen weight are consistent with an inverse relation between thyroid cancer incidence and thyroid surgery threshold, carrying risk for overdiagnosis.

Defining Survivorship Trajectories Across Patients With Solid Tumors: An Evidence-Based Approach

Importance

Survivorship involves a multidisciplinary approach to surveillance and management of comorbidities and secondary cancers, overseen by oncologists, surgeons, and primary care physicians. Optimal timing and coordination of care, however, is unclear and often based on arbitrary 5-year cutoffs.

Objective

To determine high- and low-risk periods for all tumor types that could define when survivorship care might best be overseen by oncologists and when to transition to primary care physicians.

Design, Setting, and Participants

In this pan-cancer, longitudinal, observational study, excess mortality hazard, calculated as an annualized mortality risk above a baseline population, was plotted over time. The time this hazard took to stabilize defined a high-risk period. The percent morality elevation above age- and sex-matched controls in the latter low-risk period was reported as a mortality gap. The US population-based Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database defined the cancer population, and the US Census life tables defined controls. Incident cases of patients with cancer were separated into tumor types based on International Classification of Diseases for Oncology definitions.

Exposures

Population-level data on incident cancer cases was compared with the general US population.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Overall mortality and cause of death were reported on observed cancer cases.

Results

A total of 2 317 185 patients (median age, 63 years; 49.8% female) with 66 primary tumor types were evaluated. High-risk surveillance period durations ranged from less than 1 year (breast, prostate, lip, ocular, and parathyroid cancers) up to 19 years (unspecified gastrointestinal cancers). The annualized mortality gap, representing the excess mortality in the stable period, ranged from a median 0.26% to 9.33% excess annual mortality (thyroid and hypopharyngeal cancer populations, respectively). Cluster analysis produced 6 risk cluster groups: group 1, with median survival of 16.2 (5th to 95th percentile range [PR], 10.7-40.2) years and median high-risk period of 2.5 (PR, 0-5.0) years; group 2, 8.3 (PR, 5.1-23.3) and 2.5 (PR, 4.0-8.0) years; group 3, 2.8 (PR, 1.4-3.7) and 7.0 (PR, 6.0-11.1) years; group 4, 1.6 (PR, 1.5-1.8) and 6.0 (PR, 5.1-11.4) years; group 5, 0.8 (PR, 0.5-1.2) and 0.8 (PR, 0.5-1.2) years; and group 6, 0.5 (PR, 0.4-0.8) and 12.0 (PR, 9.3-12.9) years, respectively. Subanalyses of selected tumor types in these groups revealed that stratifying on stage and histologic type can change the risk cluster and guidance for care.

Conclusions and Relevance

These findings indicate that a standardized 5-year surveillance period is inadequate for some cancers while excessive for others. High-risk cancers require the most resources with the longest high-risk period, highest persistent baseline mortality risk, and longest period of primary cancer mortality, all arguing for longer follow-up with an oncologist in these cancers.

Effect of a Change in Papillary Thyroid Cancer Terminology on Anxiety Levels and Treatment Preferences: A Randomized Crossover Trial

Importance

Given evidence of overdiagnosis and overtreatment of small papillary thyroid cancers (PTCs), strategies are needed to promote the consideration of less invasive treatment options for patients with low-risk PTC.

Objective

To determine the association of treatment preferences and anxiety levels for PTC with the terminology used to describe the condition.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This randomized crossover study involved a community sample of 550 Australian men and women 18 years or older without a history of thyroid cancer. Between March 16, 2016, and July 26, 2016, participants accessed an online study that presented 3 hypothetical but clinically realistic scenarios, each of which described PTC as papillary thyroid cancer, papillary lesion, or abnormal cells. Participants were exposed to all 3 scenarios with the different terminologies, and participants were randomized by the order (first, second, or third) in which they viewed the terminologies. Data analysis was conducted from September 1, 2016, to May 15, 2017.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Treatment choice (total thyroidectomy, hemithyroidectomy, or active surveillance), diagnosis anxiety, and treatment choice anxiety.

Results

Of the 550 participants who completed the online study and were included in the analysis, 279 (50.7%) were female and the mean (SD) age was 49.9 (15.2) years. A higher proportion of participants (108 [19.6%]) chose total thyroidectomy when papillary thyroid cancer was used to describe the condition compared with the percentage of participants who chose total thyroidectomy when papillary lesion (58 [10.5%]) or abnormal cells (60 [10.9%]) terminology was used. At first exposure, the papillary thyroid cancer terminology led 60 of 186 participants (32.3%) to choose surgery compared with 46 of 191 participants (24.1%) who chose surgery after being exposed to papillary lesion terminology first (risk ratio [RR], 0.73; 95% CI, 0.53-1.02) and 47 of 173 participants (27.2%) after being exposed to abnormal cells (RR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.60-1.14) terminology first. After the first exposure, participants who viewed papillary thyroid cancer terminology reported significantly higher levels of anxiety (mean, 7.8 of 11 points) compared with those who viewed the papillary lesion (mean, 7.0 of 11 points; mean difference, -0.8; 95% CI, -1.3 to -0.3) or abnormal cells (mean, 7.3 of 11 points; mean difference, -0.5; 95% CI, -1.0 to 0.01). Overall, interest in active surveillance was high and higher levels of anxiety were reported by those who chose surgery, regardless of which terminology was viewed first (mean difference, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.0-1.9).

Conclusions and Relevance

Changing the terminology of small PTCs may be one strategy to reduce patients' anxiety levels and help them consider less invasive management options. To curtail overdiagnosis and overtreatment in PTC, other strategies may include providing balanced information about the risks and advantages of alternative treatments.

Trial Registration

anzctr.org.au Identifier: ACTRN12616000271404.

Patient-Perceived Lack of Choice in Receipt of Radioactive Iodine for Treatment of Differentiated Thyroid Cancer

PURPOSE

For many patients with differentiated thyroid cancer, use of radioactive iodine (RAI) does not improve survival or reduce recurrence risk. Yet there is wide variation in RAI use, emphasizing the importance of understanding patient perspectives regarding RAI decision making.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

All eligible patients diagnosed with thyroid cancer from 2014 to 2015 from the Georgia and Los Angeles SEER registries were surveyed (N = 2,632; response rate, 63%). Patients in whom selective RAI use is recommended were included in this analysis (n = 1,319). Patients were asked whether they felt like they had a choice to receive RAI (yes or no), how strongly their physician recommended RAI (5-point Likert-type scale), whether they received RAI (yes or no), and how satisfied they were with their RAI decision (more [score of 4 or greater] v less). Multivariable, weighted logistic regression with multiple imputation was used to assess the associations between patient characteristics and perception of no RAI choice and between perception of no RAI choice with receipt of RAI and decision satisfaction.

RESULTS

More than half of respondents (55.8%) perceived they did not have an RAI choice, and the majority of patients (75.9%) received RAI. The odds of perceiving no RAI choice was greater among those whose physician strongly recommended RAI (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.56; 95% CI, 1.13 to 2.17). Patients who perceived they did not have an RAI choice were more likely to receive RAI (adjusted OR, 2.50; 95% CI, 1.64 to 3.82) and report lower decision satisfaction (adjusted OR, 2.31; 95% CI, 1.67 to 3.20).

CONCLUSION

Many patients did not feel they had a choice about whether to receive RAI. Patients who perceived they did not have a choice were more likely to receive RAI and report lower decision satisfaction, suggesting a need for more shared decision making to reduce overtreatment.

Thyroid cancer in Friuli Venezia Giulia, northeastern Italy: incidence, overdiagnosis, and impact of type of surgery on survival

BACKGROUND

Incidence rates of thyroid cancer (TC) increased in the last decades worldwide. This study aimed to describe TC incidence in the Friuli Venezia Giulia (FVG) region, to estimate the quota of overdiagnosis, and to investigate the impact of surgery on long-term survival after TC diagnosis.

METHODS

TC cases reported to the FVG population-based cancer registry during 2002-2013, aged <85 years, were included. Age standardized rates (ASR) on the European population were computed, while proportion of TC overdiagnosis was estimated in comparison with expected age-specific incidence rates from published time series. Adjusted hazard ratios of death, with 95% confidence intervals, were also estimated.

RESULTS

During 2002-2013, 1701 TC cases were reported to the FVG cancer registry, with papillary TC (78.2%) as the most frequent histologic type. ASR increased from 12.4 to 16.5 in women and from 4.3 to 6.2 in men (+33.1% and +44.2%, respectively). Overdiagnosis was estimated as 79% of TC cases in women and 64% in men. Almost all TC cases (97.1%) underwent surgery, including 84.6% of women and 78.9% of men who underwent total thyroidectomy. Up to 10 years after TC diagnosis, the type of surgery did not appear to influence survival.

CONCLUSIONS

This study documented an increase in TC incidence in FVG in the last decade, with overdiagnosis accounting for a large proportion of TC diagnoses and total thyroidectomy in more than 80% of cases. These findings suggest reconsidering thyroid screening practice and aggressive therapeutic strategies, as recommended by new TC guidelines.

The Quality of Life among Men Receiving Active Surveillance for Prostate Cancer: An Integrative Review

Prostate cancer is very common among men in the United States. The current literature on active surveillance (AS) suggests that it is a promising treatment option for men with low-risk prostate cancer. The purpose of this manuscript is to provide a thorough integrative review regarding the effects of AS on the quality of life (QoL) of men with prostate cancer. Utilizing a methodological strategy, electronic databases were reviewed for empirical articles during the time frame of January 2006 to December 2016. A total of 37 articles met the inclusion criteria wherein 20 focused on the QoL among men only receiving AS and 16 reported QoL among men undergoing AS and other forms of treatment for prostate cancer. The review highlights the purpose, common instruments, race and ethnicity, and strengths and limitations of each article. The majority of articles indicated low levels of anxiety and depression and decreased incidences of bladder, bowel and sexual functioning among men undergoing AS in comparison to men who received other treatment modalities. The results indicated that additional research is needed to determine the QoL among men receiving AS on a longitudinal basis. The results support previous literature that indicated the positive impact of AS on low-risk prostate cancer.

Active Surveillance for Medically Inoperable Stage IA Lung Cancer in the Elderly

Objectives

Treatment for stage IA lung cancer may be too aggressive an approach in elderly patients with competing co-morbidities. We report outcomes for those electing active surveillance (AS) and investigate factors that may predict indolent disease.

Materials and methods

Retrospective review was performed for 12 consecutive patients, ≥70 years old, with medically inoperable stage IA, T1N0M0 lung cancer and significant co-morbidities, who chose AS with radiation therapy (RT) reserved for clear disease progression. Collected data included Charlson-Deyo Comorbidity Index (CDCI) grades, histology, and tumor size changes. Volume doubling time (VDT) calculations used a modified Schwartz equation.

Results

Fifteen nodules underwent AS in 12 patients; three patients had more than one nodule. Median age of all patients was 78 (range, 71–85). All patients’ CDCI grades were ≥1, 7 were ≥2. Eleven of 12 patients were deemed to be at high-risk for falls. Twelve nodules in 12 patients were biopsied; adenocarcinoma the prevailing common (47%) histology. The median, one, two and three year patient freedom-from-RT values were 21.4 months (95% CI: 11.6-not reached), 81%, 43%, and 29%, respectively. Median VDT of treated vs. untreated nodules was 189 days (range, 62-infinite) vs. 1153 days (range, 504-infinite), respectively. No patient progressed regionally or distantly, and there have been no cancer-related deaths. Due to cardiovascular events, two patients died and one remains on hospice. Median duration of AS for those still continuing computed tomography (CT) surveillance is 35.1 months.

Conclusion

Selected elderly patients with stage IA lung cancer and significant co-morbidities may undergo AS without detriment in outcome. Prospective AS studies are warranted.