Differentiated Thyroid Cancer Presenting Research Articles

A Comparison of Differentiated Thyroid Cancer Presenting in the UK Versus Internationally

A Comparison of Differentiated Thyroid Cancer Presenting in the UK Versus Internationally

Clinicopathological features of Differentiated Thyroid Cancer presenting in the UK versus internationally: An observational cohort study.

Very little data are available regarding differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) managed in the UK, and no UK patients are included in the evidence base upon which international guidelines are based. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the clinicopathological features of patients with DTC presenting in a UK population with international patient cohorts. Data were collected from a prospectively held multi-disciplinary team records from January 2009 to December 2016. The local cohort was compared with cohorts from across the world based on clinicopathological features. Ethical approval was obtained by Lothian Caldicott Guardian (Ref 16133). 444 cases were diagnosed locally with a median age of 48years (range 16-86years). 78% of patients were female. 25% of our patients had follicular carcinoma with an overall N1 rate of 20%. Distant disease was recorded in 5% cases. In comparison with international data, our local cohort had a higher rate of follicular thyroid carcinoma. Variation was seen in terms of age, gender distribution, primary tumour size, nodal and distant disease. In Korea, where thyroid cancer screening has been undertaken, smaller tumours, higher rates of nodal disease and lower rates of distant disease are described. In our centre, a higher rate of males is treated with larger primary disease and a higher percentage of follicular carcinoma. The reasons for this geographic variation in clinicopathological features in the UK are unclear. As a result, caution should be applied in translating the international move towards a more conservative approach to DTC in the UK in comparison with other areas of the world.

Adrenal metastasis as the initial diagnosis of synchronous papillary and follicular thyroid cancer

BackgroundDifferentiated thyroid cancer uncommonly presents with distant metastases. Adrenal metastasis from differentiated thyroid cancer presenting as the initial finding is even less common.Case PresentationA 71-year-old male was incidentally found on chest CT to have bilateral thyroid nodules, which were confirmed on ultrasound. Fine needle aspiration of the dominant right 3.3 cm nodule contained histologic features most consistent with Bethesda classification III, and repeat fine needle aspiration revealed pathology consistent with Bethesda classification II. Follow-up thyroid ultrasound showed 1% increase and 14% increase in nodule volume at one and two years, respectively, compared to baseline. Prior to the second annual thyroid ultrasound, the patient was incidentally found to have a 4.1 cm heterogeneously enhancing mass in the right adrenal gland on CT of the abdomen and pelvis. Biochemical evaluation was unremarkable with the exception of morning cortisol of 3.2 µg/dL after dexamethasone suppression. The patient then underwent laparoscopic right adrenal gland excision, which revealed metastatic follicular thyroid carcinoma. Total thyroidectomy was then performed, with pathology showing a 4.8 cm well-differentiated follicular thyroid carcinoma of the right lobe, a 0.5 cm noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features of the left lobe, and a 0.1 cm papillary microcarcinoma of the left lobe. Thyrotropin-stimulated whole body scan showed normal physiologic uptake of the remnant thyroid tissue without evidence of other iodine avid disease. The patient then received radioactive iodine. At follow-up 14 months after total thyroidectomy, he remains free of recurrent disease.ConclusionDespite following the recommended protocol for evaluation and surveillance of thyroid nodules, thyroid cancer can be challenging to diagnose, and may not be diagnosed until distant metastases are identified.

Metastatic Thyroid Cancer Presenting as Renal Cortical Mass

The authors present a rare case of primary diagnosis of metastatic, differentiated thyroid cancer presenting as a solitary, large renal mass. Renal cortical masses which represent metastatic primary malignancies are often small, multifocal, and in the setting of active malignancy. Surgical excision of this patient's renal mass demonstrated the unexpected diagnosis and subsequent endocrine surgical intervention.

Differentiated thyroid cancer presenting as chylothorax

Differentiated thyroid cancer presenting as chylothorax

Differentiated Thyroid Cancer Presenting with Distant Metastases: A Population Analysis Over Two Decades

Differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) with distant metastases at presentation is uncommon; the prognosis of patients with this condition is more favorable than for other cancers. Demographic, clinical, and pathologic characteristics are described at a population level; factors associated with long-term disease-specific survival are identified. Patients were identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database between 1988 and 2009. They were divided into two groups: patients with distant metastases (met-DTC) and patients without distant metastases (DTC) at presentation. Data analyses were performed with chi square tests, ANOVA, Kaplan-Meier analysis, and binary logistic and Cox proportional hazards regression. A total of 1,291 patients with met-DTC at diagnosis and 58,518 with DTC were included. The met-DTC rate was 2.2 %; compared to DTC, met-DTC patients were more often male (22.7 vs 41.3 %, respectively; p < 0.001) and older (mean 48.8 vs 62.7 years; p < 0.001). Patients with met-DTC were more likely not to have had surgery (23.3 vs 2.0 %; p < 0.001) or to have received radiation therapy (RAI) (66.8 vs 46.5 %; p < 0.001). Met-DTC tumors were larger (mean 41.0 vs 20.5 mm; p < 0.001). Independent factors associated with distant metastases were male gender, older age, single status, black and "other" races, follicular and Hurthle cell histology, larger tumors, and positive regional lymph nodes. Disease-specific survival was lower for met-DTC; this has not improved over the past two decades (p = 0.494). Independent factors associated with mortality included patient age ≥ 45 years, single status, follicular and Hurthle cell histologies, tumor size >4 cm, and not receiving surgery and/or RAI. Overall, met-DTC is uncommon. Given the lack of survival improvement observed over the last two decades, novel treatments should be pursued aggressively for this subset of patients.

Differentiated thyroid cancer presenting with thyrotoxicosis due to functioning metastases

Thyrotoxicosis due to functioning metastases in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is exceedingly rare. We report a case of follicular carcinoma in a 54-year-old manager, who presented with thyrotoxicosis, shortness of breath and lung metastases. Transbronchial biopsy of a pulmonary nodule demonstrated normal thyroid. This was interpreted as representing very well-differentiated thyroid cancer. CT, (131)I whole-body imaging and dosimetry is described following total thyroidectomy and repeated radioiodine administration (cumulative activity 34.6 GBq). The patient became asymptomatic with almost complete eradication of the pulmonary metastases. Potential complications of thyroid storm, bone marrow failure and pulmonary fibrosis following radioiodine are discussed, together with methods to minimise these risks.

11 Clinical outcome of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer presenting with metastatic disease at diagnosis

11 Clinical outcome of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer presenting with metastatic disease at diagnosis

Differentiated Thyroid Cancer Presenting with a Hoarse Voice and Rectal Bleeding

Differentiated Thyroid Cancer Presenting with a Hoarse Voice and Rectal Bleeding