Predictive Factors for Recurrence of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma in Children and Adolescents

Prediction of lateral neck metastasis in patients with papillary thyroid cancer with suspicious lateral lymph ultrasonic imaging based on central lymph node metastasis features

Neck lymphatic metastasis is a common occurrence with thyroid cancers, and pre operative lateral lymph node metastasis (LLNM) and postoperative lateral lymph node recurrence (LLNR) are two independent risk factors that are negatively associated with the prognosis of patients with thyroid cancer. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) and LLNM in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) with sonographically suspected LLNM, such as those without lymph node fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytological results or negative FNA results at the time of diagnosis. The predictive ability of CLNM regarding LLNR was also investigated. The present study retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 1,061 patients that were surgically treated for PTC and 128 patients with sonographically suspected lateral lymph nodes that received central lymph node dissection and lateral lymph node dissection at the Thyroid Department of The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University (Hefei, China) from June 2019 to June 2021. In patients with suspicious ultrasonic images suggesting LLNM, a significant association between the central lymph node ratio (CLNR), the number of positive central lymph nodes and LLNM was demonstrated. Otherwise, there were no statistically significant differences between the CLNR in patients with PTC and patients with PTC without evidence of lateral cervical metastasis. However, the rate of LLNR increased significantly when the number of positive central lymph nodes was >3. In conclusion, the CLNR and the number of positive central lymph nodes could be used to predict LLNM in patients with PTC with sonographically suspect lateral lymph nodes, including those with no FNA cytological results or negative FNA results, which may potentially support physicians in making personalized clinical decisions.

Analysis of Surgical Outcomes in Endoscopic-Assisted Lateral Neck Dissection

BACKGROUND

Currently, endoscopic-assisted lateral neck dissection (EALND) is performed to reduce postoperative scarring of the anterior neck. This study aimed to compare surgical outcomes between EALND and conventional open lateral neck dissection (COLND) for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) with lateral lymph node metastases (LNM).

METHODS

The study reviewed 103 PTC patients who were classified on the basis of surgical type and statistically compared using propensity score matching analysis.

RESULTS

The mean operation time is longer, and the cost of surgery is higher in the EALND group than COLND group (all p < 0.05). The numbers of retrieved and positive level II LNs, the rate of level II LNs detection between two groups do not differ significantly (all p > 0.05). The incidence of postoperative neck numbness is lower, and patients are more satisfied with postoperative neck scarring in the EALND group than COLND group (all p < 0.05). The common complications of two groups are transient recurrent laryngeal nerve injury and transient hypoparathyroidism.

CONCLUSIONS

EALND is safe and feasible compared with COLND. The incision is more aesthetically satisfactory, which makes EALND a surgical approach for PTC patients with lateral LNM.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

3 Laryngoscope, 134:2221-2227, 2024.

A novel risk stratification model based on tumor size and multifocality to predict recurrence in pediatric PTC: comparison with adult PTC

Background

Pediatric papillary thyroid cancer presents with a more advanced stage of disease than adult PTC; and it is more likely to be aggresive and distant metastases, although the survival rate is high.

Methods

A retrospective observational study was performed in children and adults with PTC. Fisher's exact, chi-square, and rank-sum tests were used to examine the differences. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were applied to determine the possible risk factors for prognosis. A Kaplan-Meier curve analysis was performed to investigate the relationship between the clinicopathological characteristics and recurrence rate.

Results

The study involved 156 children and 1,244 adults with PTC. Compared to the group without recurrence, proportions of tumors measuring > 1 cm (48.3% vs. 90.9%) and multifocality (30.3% vs. 63.6%) were higher, N1b stage occurred more frequently (33.8% vs. 100%). However, among adult PTC patients, those with recurrence were older (76.1% vs. 59.4%) than those without recurrence. Risk factors for pediatric PTC recurrence included tumor size and multifocality. However, in adult PTC, the risk factor was LLNM. The newly constructed Stratification.N showed better performance, as illustrated by the fact that patients who were classified into Stratification.N 3 showed an obviously poorer prognosis (P=0.01 and P=0.00062), especially in those aged >14 years (P=0.0052).

Conclusion

Compared with adult PTC, pediatric PTC showed unique characteristics in terms of clinical pathology and recurrence. Tumor size and multifocality were strong risk factors for pediatric PTC. Accordingly, the novel proposed risk stratification method could effectively predict the recurrence of pediatric PTC.

Risk factors for recurrence of differentiated thyroid carcinoma in children and adolescents: A retrospective cohort study

This study aimed to provide a recent clinical evaluation of the outcome of treatment and the predictors of recurrence for Chinese children and adolescents with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). This is a retrospective cohort study at the Yunnan Cancer Hospital from May 2002 to August 2021. We analyzed several risk factors related to the recurrence of DTC in children and adolescents. The Chi-square test, Kaplan-Meier log-rank tests, and Cox regression analysis were used in the statistical analysis. A P-value <.05 was considered statistically significant. A total of 103 patients were enrolled, including 68 girls (66.0%) and 35 boys (34.0%) with a median age of 18 years (range: 7-20 years). All enrolled patients received standard treatment. Children (≤14years) tended to have multifocality and higher levels of thyroid imaging reporting and data system, higher pN stage, and higher American Thyroid Association (ATA) pediatric risk compared with adolescents (P < .05). The chief complaints and clinical treatment differed between children and adolescents. During a follow-up of 6 to 239 months (average 74.7 months, median 59 months), all patients survived, but recurrence occurred in 22 patients (22.4%). The disease-free survival rates at 1, 2, 5, and 10 years were 91.2%, 78.4%, 77.1%, and 77.1%, respectively. Univariate Cox regression and log-rank tests showed that positive preoperative thyroglobulin level, bilaterality, extrathyroidal extension, high pT/pN/pM stage, and high ATA pediatric risk were the risk factors for DTC recurrence in children and adolescents. Multivariate Cox regression found that extrathyroidal extension and ATA pediatric risk were independent risk factors for the recurrence of DTC in children and adolescents. Additionally, among the 38 cases with cN0 stage, one who had bilateral, and multifocal thyroid nodules experienced recurrence, while the remaining 37 cases with cN0 stage had no recurrence. In conclusion, compared with adolescents, children present with more highly malignant disease and are more prone to metastasis. The significant risk factors associated with the recurrence of DTC in children and adolescents were positive preoperative thyroglobulin level, bilaterality, high pT/pN/pM stage, extrathyroidal extension, and high ATA pediatric risk, with the latter 2 being independent risk factors. The surgical approach for cN0 patients should be personalized taking into account invasive features.

BRAFV600E Positivity-Dependent Effect of Age on Papillary Thyroid Cancer Recurrence Risk

BRAFV600E positivity is associated with increased aggressiveness of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), and age is an important prognostic factor. However, the association between age and BRAFV600E positivity and the recurrence risk has not been investigated. This study aimed to investigate the impact of age on recurrence between patients with BRAFV600E-positive and -negative PTC. Patients with PTC who underwent initial thyroid surgery between January 2010 and December 2018 at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital (Seoul, Republic of Korea) were retrospectively reviewed. The BRAFV600E-positive (n = 1768) and BRAFV600E-negative groups (n = 428) were divided into two subgroups: younger (<35 years) and older groups (≥55 years). In the BRAFV600E-positive group, the younger group exhibited higher lymphatic and vascular invasion rates, more positive lymph nodes, higher lymph node ratios, and higher recurrence rates than the older group (5.9% vs. 2.1%). Multivariate analysis revealed that age, lymphatic invasion, and N category were significant risk factors in the BRAFV600E-positive group. In the BRAFV600E-positive group, the younger group had a higher recurrence risk than the older group (OR, 2.528; 95% confidence interval, 1.443-4.430; p = 0.001). In the BRAFV600E-negative group, age had no impact on recurrence risk. These results contribute to tailored treatment strategies and informed patient management.

Thyroid Surgery in Children: A 5-Year Retrospective Study at a Single Paediatric Surgical Center and Systematic Review

The aim of this study was to analyse and evaluate our 5-year experience in paediatric thyroid surgery, as well as the specificities of this kind of surgery in the literature. This retrospective study was based on 19 operations in 17 patients aged from 5 to 17 years who were operated on due to thyroid pathology from 2017 until 2022. We presented data on surgical procedures and complications following surgery. Most of the patients were adolescent girls. The most common clinical presentations included enlarged thyroid gland, followed by thyroid nodules and hyperthyroidism. Eight total thyroidectomies, five left lobectomies, five right lobectomies, and three central neck dissections were performed. The most common histopathological diagnosis was hyperplastic diffuse colloid goitre, followed by papillary carcinoma, cystic nodule, follicular adenoma, Hashimoto thyroiditis and toxic adenoma. Postoperative course was uneventful, with four mild complications (one wound infection, one manifest hypocalcaemia, and two transitory recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis). In our literature review, eighteen full-text articles were included and analysed. This study demonstrated that thyroid surgery in paediatric population is a safe and efficient procedure. Thyroid pathology in children significantly differs from that in the adults, and paediatric surgeons should be included into the team managing such cases.

Relationship Between Thyroid Autoantibodies and Recurrence of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma in Children and Adolescents

Background

Numerous studies reported connection between papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and thyroid autoantibody in adults, but few of them have investigated whether there is a similar link in children and adolescents. The purpose of this research was to explore the relationship between clinicopathological features, prognosis and preoperative thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) as well as thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb) status in children and adolescents with PTC.

Methods

This study retrospectively reviewed 179 patients of PTC who underwent a thyroidectomy from January 2000 to June 2021 at Tianjin Medical University Cancer Hospital. We compared preoperative TgAb and TPOAb status with the clinicopathological features and prognosis of children and adolescents with PTC in different age groups.

Results

Patients with positive preoperative TPOAb and TgAb had lower recurrence rate in the younger group (P = 0.006, 0.047, respectively). Patients with positive TPOAb preoperatively had normal level of preoperative Tg and less cervical LNM than patients with negative TPOAb in children and adolescents (P < 0.05). Positive TPOAb preoperatively of PTC patients had a longer median DFS (113.4 months) than negative TPOAb (64.9 months) (P = 0.009, log-rank). Univariate analyses showed age, maximal tumor size, T stage, multifocality, lateral LNM and N staging were predictors for cancer recurrence in children and adolescents (P<0.05). Cox regression analysis found younger age (HR 0.224, P < 0.001), lateral LNM (HR 0.137, P = 0.010), N stage (HR 30.356, P < 0.001) were independent risk factors for recurrence.

Conclusions

Our study found that presence of preoperative TPOAb and TgAb could serve as novel prognostic factors for predicting recurrence of PTC in children.