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Januś D, Wójcik M, Taczanowska-Niemczuk A, Kiszka-Wiłkojć A, Kujdowicz M, Czogała M, Górecki W, Starzyk JB. Ultrasound, laboratory and histopathological insights in diagnosing papillary thyroid carcinoma in a paediatric population: a single centre follow-up study between 2000-2022. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1170971. [PMID: 37274328 PMCID: PMC10233204 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1170971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) often coincides with autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT); whether this association is incidental or causal remains debated. Objective To evaluate the ultrasonographic, laboratory, and histopathological features of PTC in paediatric patients with and without AIT and its relationship to puberty. Design A retrospective cohort study. Patients and methods A retrospective analysis of medical records of 90 patients (69; 76.7% females). The mean age at PTC diagnosis was 13.8 years [range 6-18]. All patients were evaluated ultrasonographically before thyroid surgery. Thyroid nodules were categorised using the European Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (EU-TIRADS PL), and cytopathology was assessed using Bethesda criteria. Neck ultrasound results and thyroid and autoimmune status were correlated with histopathological PTC assessment. Results The coexistence of PTC and AIT was found in 48.9% (44/90) of patients. The percentage of AIT was increasing with age; AIT was present only in 1/3 of prepubertal, close to 50% in pubertal, and over 60% in adolescent patients. The youngest patients (aged <10 years old) presented more often with goitre and lymphadenopathy and less often with AIT than adolescents (15-18 years of age). There were no differences in TPOAb, TgAb, and TSH levels between the age subgroups. Presurgical TgAb levels were higher than those of TPOAb in the youngest patients. Histopathological analysis revealed that the solid subtype was observed more often in prepubertal children and diffuse sclerosing in children below 14 years of age, whereas the classic subtype dominated in late pubertal. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that lymph nodes metastases (LNM) were associated with PTC diameter and fT4 level, whereas extrathyroidal extension with age and angioinvasion with PTC diameter and age. The correlations between age and fibrosis, and the presence of psammoma bodies in malignant tissues were close to significant. We did not observe an association between TSH levels and the presence of autoimmunity and PTC variables. Conclusions In paediatric patients the natural course of PTC may be less aggressive in adolescent patients than in younger children (especially < 10 years of age). We suggest that pre-operative evaluation of paediatric patients with thyroid nodules could include apart from assessment of thyroid hormones, evaluation of TPOAb, TgAb, and TRAb together with comprehensive neck ultrasonography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominika Januś
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Endocrinology, Chair of Pediatrics, Institute of Pediatrics, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, Krakow, Poland
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Endocrinology, University Children’s Hospital, Krakow, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Wójcik
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Endocrinology, Chair of Pediatrics, Institute of Pediatrics, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, Krakow, Poland
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Endocrinology, University Children’s Hospital, Krakow, Poland
| | - Anna Taczanowska-Niemczuk
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Institute of Pediatrics, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, Krakow, Poland
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, University Children’s Hospital, Krakow, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Kiszka-Wiłkojć
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Institute of Pediatrics, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, Krakow, Poland
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, University Children’s Hospital, Krakow, Poland
| | - Monika Kujdowicz
- Department of Pathology, University Children’s Hospital, Krakow, Poland
- Department of Pathomorphology, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, Krakow, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Czogała
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Institute of Pediatrics, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, Krakow, Poland
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, University Children’s Hospital, Krakow, Poland
| | - Wojciech Górecki
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Institute of Pediatrics, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, Krakow, Poland
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, University Children’s Hospital, Krakow, Poland
| | - Jerzy B. Starzyk
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Endocrinology, Chair of Pediatrics, Institute of Pediatrics, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, Krakow, Poland
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Endocrinology, University Children’s Hospital, Krakow, Poland
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Januś D, Kujdowicz M, Wójcik M, Taczanowska-Niemczuk A, Kiszka-Wiłkojć A, Górecki W, Starzyk JB. Ultrasound evolution of parenchymal changes in the thyroid gland with autoimmune thyroiditis in children prior to the development of papillary thyroid carcinoma - a follow-up study. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1172823. [PMID: 37124746 PMCID: PMC10130420 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1172823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Follicular cell-derived thyroid carcinoma represents the vast majority of paediatric thyroid cancers (TCs). Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) accounts for over 90% of all childhood TC cases, and its incidence in paediatric patients is increasing. The objective of this follow-up study was to present the outcome of ultrasound (US) and laboratory monitoring of paediatric patients with autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT) prior to the development of PTC. Patients and methods This prospective study included 180 children and adolescents (132 females; 73.3%) with a suspicion of thyroid disorder referred to the Outpatient Endocrine Department. The patients were divided into four groups: 1) 28 patients with a mean age of 10.7 [standard deviation (SD), 3.1] y, in whom PTC was detected during the active surveillance of AIT [AIT(+), PTC(+) follow up (F)]; 2) 18 patients with a mean age of 12.8 (SD, 3.4) y, in whom PTC and AIT were detected upon admission (A) [AIT(+), PTC(+) A]; 3) 45 patients with a mean age of 13.0 (SD, 3.4) y, in whom PTC was detected upon admission and AIT was excluded [AIT(-), PTC(+) A]; and 4) an age- and sex-matched control group of 89 patients with AIT and with a mean age of 9.4 (SD, 3.0) y. The analysis included clinical, US, and laboratory assessment results of children on admission (groups 1-4) and during follow-up (groups 1 and 4) in the Paediatric Endocrine Outpatient Department. Results Upon admission of those in group 1, the US evaluation revealed a hypoechogenic thyroid gland in 12 and an irregular normoechogenic gland in 16 patients. US monitoring revealed an increase in thyroid echogenicity and an increased irregularity of the thyroid structure during the follow-up period of all of the patients from group 1. Such changes were not noticed in group 4. PTC was diagnosed at the mean time of 3.6 y (3 mo-9 y) since AIT confirmation in group 1. The mean maximum PTC diameter as per the US was significantly smaller in group 1 than in groups 2 and 3 [13.2 (10.8) mm vs. 22.2 (12.8) and 22.05 (15.4) mm]. Fewer patients in group 1 were referred to 131I than in groups 2 and 3 (71.4% vs. 94.4 and 93.3%). Interestingly, significant differences were observed in the thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb)/thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) ratio between groups 2 and 3, as opposed to group 4, at the beginning of observation [15.3 (27.6) and 3.5 (8.8] vs. 0.77 (1.9)]. In group 1, after the follow-up, an increase in the TgAb/TPOAb ratio was observed [1.2 (9.8) to 5.2 (13.5)]. There were no significant differences between groups 1-3 in labeling index Ki67, lymph nodes metastasis, extrathyroidal extension, and angioinvasion. There were no associations between thyroid-stimulating hormone, TgAb, and the extent of the disease. Conclusion The use of thyroid US focused on the search for developing tumours in the routine follow-up of patients with AIT may not only help in the early detection of thyroid malignancies that are not clinically apparent but may also influence the invasiveness of oncological therapy and reduce the future side effects of 131I therapy. We propose that the repeat evaluation of TPOAb and TgAb warrants further exploration as a strategy to determine TC susceptibility in paediatric patients with AIT in larger multicentre studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominika Januś
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Endocrinology, Chair of Pediatrics, Institute of Pediatrics, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Endocrinology, University Children Hospital in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
| | - Monika Kujdowicz
- Department of Pathomorphology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
- Department of Pathology, University Children Hospital in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Wójcik
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Endocrinology, Chair of Pediatrics, Institute of Pediatrics, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Endocrinology, University Children Hospital in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
| | - Anna Taczanowska-Niemczuk
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Institute of Pediatrics, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, University Children Hospital in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Kiszka-Wiłkojć
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Institute of Pediatrics, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, University Children Hospital in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
| | - Wojciech Górecki
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Institute of Pediatrics, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, University Children Hospital in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
| | - Jerzy B. Starzyk
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Endocrinology, Chair of Pediatrics, Institute of Pediatrics, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Endocrinology, University Children Hospital in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
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