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Graceffa G, Salamone G, Contino S, Saputo F, Corigliano A, Melfa G, Proclamà MP, Richiusa P, Mazzola S, Tutino R, Orlando G, Scerrino G. Risk Factors for Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma: A Case Series From a Tertiary Referral Center for Thyroid Surgery and Literature Analysis. Front Oncol 2022; 12:948033. [PMID: 35875085 PMCID: PMC9303013 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.948033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is a very rare and extremely aggressive disease with a very poor prognosis. Several risk factors have been hypothesized, but there is no clear-cut literature data on it. We reviewed the literature concerning risk factors for ATC and analyzed the institutional database from 2005 to 2022. In total, 15 papers were suitable for review, while the retrospective data collection search, conducted on our institutional database, provided 13 results. In our experience, in agreement with literature data, ATC seems to be a neoplasm peculiar to old age (in our database, mean age is 72 years), with a higher prevalence in subjects with a low level of education and a long history of multinodular goiter (MNG). The role of cigarette smoking and blood group, hypothesized on some literature data, was more uncertain, although the small sample size evaluated probably had a great influence on these results. The higher incidence of the disease in individuals with a history of MNG could suggest more aggressive choices in the treatment of a benign disease, in contrast to current practice. However, this may be a highly questionable point considering that ATC accounts for no more than 2% of all thyroid neoplasms in surgical departments, even those dedicated to endocrine neck surgery. Further studies are therefore necessary for a step forward in this direction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppa Graceffa
- Department of Surgical, Oncological and Oral Sciences, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Salamone
- Department of Surgical Oncological and Oral Sciences, Unit of General and Emergency Surgery, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Silvia Contino
- Department of Surgical, Oncological and Oral Sciences, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Federica Saputo
- Department of Surgical, Oncological and Oral Sciences, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Alessandro Corigliano
- Department of Surgical Oncological and Oral Sciences, Unit of General and Emergency Surgery, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Giuseppina Melfa
- Department of Surgical Oncological and Oral Sciences, Unit of General and Emergency Surgery, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Maria Pia Proclamà
- Department of Surgical Oncological and Oral Sciences, Unit of General and Emergency Surgery, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Pierina Richiusa
- Section of Endocrinology-Department of Health Promotion Sciences Maternal and Infantile Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (PROMISE), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Sergio Mazzola
- Unit of Clinical Epidemiology and Tumor Registry, Department of Laboratory Diagnostics, Policlinico “P. Giaccone” University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Roberta Tutino
- Department of General and Specialized Surgery, City of Health and Science Hospital of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Giuseppina Orlando
- Department of Surgical Oncological and Oral Sciences, Unit of General and Emergency Surgery, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
- *Correspondence: Giuseppina Orlando,
| | - Gregorio Scerrino
- Department of Surgical Oncological and Oral Sciences, Unit of General and Emergency Surgery, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
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Abstract
Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is one of the most malignant human neoplasms and has a grave prognosis. This study gives an update on our experience with this unusual neoplasm, with specific focus on the response to various treatment modalities. Forty-seven patients with histologically proven ATCs were enrolled (19 men, 28 women; mean age, 62.8 years). This number represents 1.5% among a total of 3,088 thyroid cancers treated between 1977 and 2002. The mean tumor diameter was 8.8 cm, and 22 patients had distant metastasis. Extrathyroidal extension was seen in 26 (89.7%) of the cases that underwent surgery. Treatment modalities adopted could be classified into 5 groups: Group 1, biopsy only; Group 2, biopsy and chemoradiotherapy; Group 3, debulking only; Group 4, debulking and chemoradiotherapy; Group 5, complete excision and chemoradiotherapy. Survival was calculated from the time of diagnosis, and comparisons of survival were done by log-rank analysis. The mean survival was 4.3 months (range, 1.0-21 months). The mean survival based on treatment modalities were as follows: Group 1 (n = 10), 2.1 months, Group 2 (n = 8); 3.6 months; Group 3 (n = 7), 3.0 months; Group 4 (n = 14), 3.5 months, Group 5 (n = 8), 9.4 months. There was no significant difference in survival time between the various types of treatment modalities. Even though a small improvement in survival was observed with complete excision and aggressive multimodality therapy, nearly all ATCs remain unresponsive to ongoing treatment modalities and as such, present a therapeutic dilemma. A more effective treatment regimen should be sought in order to improve survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hang-Seok Chang
- Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kee-Hyun Nam
- Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Woung Youn Chung
- Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Cheong Soo Park
- Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
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