Differentiated thyroid carcinoma: survival and prognostic factors

Abstract

Background and aimsDifferentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) is the most common endocrine tumor. DTC has a good prognosis and survival rates are higher than 85%. The aim of our study was to assess our current survival rate and to analyze prognostic factors. Patients and methodsA retrospective study was conducted of 308 patients with DTC (93.5% with papillary tumors, 78.8% females). Mean age at diagnosis was 45.4±15.8 years, and mean follow-up time was 8.9±6.8 years. The whole group was treated and followed up using the same protocol at our hospital. The following data were collected: age at diagnosis, sex, histology, TNM stage, treatments, and date and cause of death. Survival probability was calculated using Kaplan-Meier analyses. Prognostic factors were analyzed using a univariate log rank test and a multivariate Cox regression analysis model. ResultsTwenty-six patients died during follow-up, 15 of them (4.9%) from DTC. Thyroid carcinoma-related survival was 92.7% for the whole group. Variables independently associated with a significantly increased risk of death from DTC in multivariate analyses included distant metastases, follicular histology, age at diagnosis older than 60 years, and extrathyroid involvement. DiscussionThe survival rate in our series was similar to that reported in the literature. However, assessment of the prognostic factors related to an increased risk of death within our patient group is necessary in order to establish active therapeutic approaches for high risk patients.