Journal List > J Korean Thyroid Assoc > v.6(1) > 1056544

Won, Min, Yang, Yun, Sang, Bo, and In: Clinicopathologic Characteristics of Papillary Microcarcinoma in the Elderly

Abstract

Background and Objectives

Older patients show more aggressive features in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). However, data about clinicopathologic features of older patients in papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) are limited. Presently, we investigated the difference of clinicopathologic features in PTMC according to age.

Materials and Methods

A total of 820 PTMC patients (82 males, 10%; 738 females, 90%) who underwent total thyroidectomy at Pusan National University Hospital were enrolled. The patients were divided into three age groups: group 1 (44 years or younger, n=230), group 2 (45-64 years, n=513), and group 3 (65 years or older, n=77).

Results

Extrathyroidal extension was 33% in group 1, 32.2% in group 2, and 31.2% in group 3 (p=0.948). There was no significant difference of lymph node metastasis between the groups: N0 (59.1% vs. 67.8% vs. 70.1%), N1a (37.4% vs. 28.8% vs. 26%), and N1b (3.5% vs. 3.3% vs. 3.9%) (p=0.159). Of the 820 patients, 526 (64.1%) were diagnosed as early stage (stage I, II) PTMC and 294 (35.9%) were diagnosed as advanced stage (stage III, IV) PTMC. The proportion of patients with each stage was significantly different between the groups (p<0.001). However, there was no significantly difference in the stage over 45 years old. Of the 820 patients, 517 were evaluated BRAFV600E mutation. There was no difference in prevalence between each group.

Conclusion

There was no statistically significant difference of clinicopathologic features between the groups, indicating that old age itself was not associated with unfavorable clinicopathologic features in PTMC.

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Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of patients with papillary thyroid microcarcinoma
Group 1 (n=230) Group 2 (n=513) Group 3 (n=77)
Age (years)
MeanSD
Range
Gender (F/M)
35.935.840
(16-44)
204/26 (88.7/23)
53.325.223
(45-64)
465/48 (90.6/9.4)
69.903.747
(65-83)
69/8 (89.6/10.4)

Values are presented as meanSD or number (%). Group 1, patient's age < 45 years; Group 2, patient's 45 ≤ age < 65; Group 3, patient's age ≥ 65 years. F: female, M: male

Table 2.
Histopathological characteristics of patients with papillary thyroid microcarcinoma
Group 1 (n=230) Group 2 (n=513) Group 3 (n=77) p value
Hashimoto's thyroiditis       0.161
Present 15 (6.5) 19 (3.7) 2 (2.6)  
Absent 215 (93.5) 494 (96.3) 75 (97.4)  
Multifocality       0.717
Present 53 (23) 129 (25.1) 21 (27.3)  
Absent 177 (77) 384 (74.9) 56 (72.7)  
Extrathyroidal extension       0.948
Present 76 (33) 165 (32.2) 24 (31.2)  
Absent 154 (67) 348 (67.8) 53 (68.8)  
LN grade       0.159
N0 136 (59.1) 348 (67.8) 54 (70.1)  
N1a 86 (37.4) 148 (28.8) 20 (26)  
N1 b 8 (3.5) 17 (3.3) 3 (3.9)  
TNM stage       < 0.001
I 230 (100) 255 (49.7) 40 (51.9)  
II 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0)  
III 0 (0) 242 (47.2) 34 (44.2)  
IV 0 (0) 16 (3.1) 3 (3.9)  
Stage       < 0.001
Early (stage I, II) 230 (100) 255 (49.7) 41 (53.2)  
Advanced (stage III, IV) 0 (0) 258 (50.3) 36 (46.8)  
BRAFV600E mutation 81 (35.2) 193 (37.6) 25 (32.5) 0.589

Values are presented as number (%). Group 1, patient's age < 45 years; Group 2, patient's 45 ≤ age < 65; Group 3, patient's age ≥ 65 years

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