Journal List > Korean J Endocr Surg > v.11(3) > 1060029

M.D., M.D., M.D., and M.D.: Analysis of Relationship between Prognostic Factors and Number of Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) Prior to Surgery for Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma According to Size

Abstract

Purpose:

Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) is defined as a papillary thyroid carcinoma <10 mm in greatest dimension without palpation. In general, prognosis of PTMC is very favorable. PTMC can present with advanced features like papillary thyroid carcinoma >10 mm. Indication of FNAC based only on tumor size is still in debate. Some favor the criteria of a size <5 mm without FNAC and some argue for more study of the indication of FNAC according to tumor size. We analyzed the relationship of prognostic factors and number of FNACs prior to surgery for PTMC according to 5 mm size criterion.

Methods:

Three hundred seven patients diagnosed with PTMC after surgery were enrolled. Based on tumor size, patients were divided into group 1 (≤5 mm, n=151) and group 2 (>5 mm, n=156) and the prognostic factors and number of pre-surgical FNAC procedures were compared.

Results:

There were no significant differences in gender, age, site, accompanying benign disease, multifocality and bilaterality. Group 2 patients displayed more advanced features than group 1 patients concerning capsular invasion, lymph node metastasis and tumor stage. The number of FNAC procedures prior to the decision of surgery was not different in the two groups.

Conclusion:

PTMC exceeding 5 mm in size showed advanced features than smaller tumors. Further study about the use of FNAC according only to the size of thyroid nod-ules is warranted.

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Table 1.
Clinicopathologic characteristics of the patients
  Group 1 (≤5 mm) (n=151) (%) Group 2 (>5 mm) (n=156) (%) P value
Gender     0.37
Male 27 (18%) 22 (14%)  
Female 124 (82%) 134 (86%)  
Age     0.95
<45 47 (31%) 48 (31%)  
≥45 104 (69%) 108 (69%)  
Location     0.91
Right 82 (54%) 83 (53%)  
Left 61 (40%) 63 (40%)  
Isthmus 8 (6%) 10 (7%)  
Tumor size (mm)      
Mean 4.43 8.27  
10   65 (42%)  
9   2 (1%)  
8   26 (17%)  
7   36 (23%)  
6   27 (17%)  
5 105 (69%)    
4 13 (9%)    
3 27 (18%)    
2 5 (3%)    
1 1 (1%)    
Benign disease 76 (50%) 67 (43%) 0.20
Thyroiditis 16 (11%) 18 (12%)  
Benign nodule 53 (35%) 45 (29%)  
Thyroiditis+ 7 (4%) 4 (2%)  
Benign nodule      
Multifocality     0.22
Yes 22 (15%) 31 (20%)  
No 129 (85%) 125 (80%)  
Bilaterality     0.36
Yes 32 (21%) 40 (26%)  
No 119 (79%) 116 (74%)  
Capsular invasion     <0.01
Yes 41 (27%) 77 (49%)  
No 110 (73%) 79 (51%)  
Lymph node 26 (17%) 55 (35%) <0.01
metastasis      
Central only 20 (13%) 30 (19%) 0.53
Lateral only 2 (1%) 8 (5%) 0.49
Central+lateral 4 (3%) 17 (11%) 0.18
Table 2.
Cancer staging of the patients with age of 45 years and older
  Group 1 (≤5 mm) (n=104) (%) Group 2 (>5 mm) (n=108) (%) P value
Stage (age≥45)
I 61 (58%) 42 (39%) <0.01
III 35 (34%) 44 (41%) 0.23
IVA 8 (8%) 22 (20%) <0.01
Table 3.
Number of FNAC∗ prior to decision of surgery by tumor size
Tumor size (mm) Number of FNAC prior to decision of surgery
1 (n=171) 2 (n=18) 3 (n=7) 4 (n=1) Total (n=197)
10 35 4 2 0 41
9 2 0 0 0 2
8 15 4 0 0 19
7 20 0 0 0 20
6 16 1 1 0 18
5 57 6 2 0 65
4 6 0 1 1 8
3 20 3 1 0 24

Fine needle aspiration cytology.

Table 4.
Analysis of number of FNAC∗ prior to decision of surgery by according to 6 mm, 5 mm, 4 mm cut-off of tumor size
Patients (n=197)
6 mm cut-off P value 5 mm cut-off P value 4 mm cut-off P value
≥6 mm <6 mm ≥5 mm <5 mm ≥4 mm =3 mm
Number of FNAC     0.61     0.31     0.53
1 88 83   145 26   151 20  
>2 12 14   20 6   22 4  

Fine needle aspiration cytology.

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