Childhood Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma: A Case Report

Background: Thyroid cancer is a rare disease yet the most common endocrine malignancy in pediatrics. Unlike adult patients, children with thyroid nodules typically don’t complain of pain, soreness, or difficulty swallowing. Additionally, using the recommended therapy for adults to treat paediatrics is not appropriate. There is an unmet need for updated unique guidelines for the management of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) in paediatrics and adolescents. Case Report: A 12-year-old girl had an atypical presentation of metastatic PTC in lymph nodes. She was treated initially with hemi-thyroidectomy, followed by total thyroidectomy. A multidisciplinary team followed her up till successful results were found. Conclusion: Due to the difference in pathophysiology between thyroid tumors in children and adults, a unique approach to PTC management is to be implemented. Further trials are required for a better understanding of risk factors, the likelihood of recurrence, and the long-term side effects of the chosen management plan.

Identification of a four-miRNA signature predicts the prognosis of papillary thyroid cancer

BACKGROUND In recently diagnosed patients with thyroid cancer,papillary thyroid cancer(PTC),as the most common histological subtype,accounts for 90%of all cases.Although PTC is known as a relatively adolescent malignant disease,there still is a high possibility of recurrence in PTC patients with a poor prognosis.Therefore,new biomarkers are necessary to guide more effective stratification of PTC patients and personalize therapy to avoid overtreatment or inadequate treatment.Accumulating evidence demonstrates that microRNAs(miRNAs)have broad application prospects as diagnostic biomarkers in cancer.AIM To explore novel markers consisting of miRNA-associated signatures for PTC prognostication.METHODS We obtained and analyzed the data of 497 PTC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas.The patients were randomly assigned to either a training or testing cohort.RESULTS We discovered 237 differentially expressed miRNAs in tumorous thyroid tissues compared with normal tissues,which contained 172 up-regulated and 65 downregulated miRNAs.The evaluation of differently expressed miRNAs was conducted using our risk score model.We then successfully generated a fourmiRNA potential prognostic signature[risk score=(-0.001×hsa-miR-181a-2-3p)+(0.003×hsa-miR-138-5p)+(-0.018×hsa-miR-424-3p)+(0.284×hsa-miR-612)],which reliably distinguished patients from high and low risk with a significant difference in the overall survival(P<0.01)and was effective in predicting the five-year disease survival rate with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.937 and 0.812 in the training and testing cohorts,respectively.Additionally,there was a trend indicated that high-risk patients had shorter relapse-free survival,although statistical significance was not reached(P=0.082)in our sequencing cohort.CONCLUSION Our results indicated a four-miRNA signature that has a robust predictive effect on the prognosis of PTC.Accordingly,we would recommend more radical therapy and closer follow-ups for highrisk groups.

Role of prophylactic central neck lymph node dissection for papillary thyroid carcinoma in the era of de-escalation

Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy.While there has been no appreciable increase in the observed mortality of well-differentiated thyroid cancer,there has been an overall rise in its incidence worldwide over the last few decades.Patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma(PTC)and clinical evidence of central(cN1)and/or lateral lymph node metastases require total thyroidectomy plus central and/or lateral neck dissection as the initial surgical treatment.Nodal status in PTC patients plays a crucial role in the prognostic evaluation of the recurrence risk.The 2015 guidelines of the American Thyroid Association(ATA)have more accurately determined the indications for therapeutic central and lateral lymph node dissection.However,prophylactic central neck lymph node dissection(pCND)in negative lymph node(cN0)PTC patients is controversial,as the 2009 ATA guidelines recommended that CND“should be considered”routinely in patients who underwent total thyroidectomy for PTC.Although the current guidelines show clear indications for therapeutic CND,the role of pCND in cN0 patients with PTC is still debated.In small solitary papillary carcinoma(T1,T2),pCND is not recommended unless there are high-risk prediction factors for recurrence and diffuse nodal spread(extrathyroid extension,mutation in the BRAF gene).pCND can be considered in cN0 disease with advanced primary tumors(T3 or T4)or clinical lateral neck disease(cN1b)or for staging and treatment planning purposes.The role of the preoperative evaluation is fundamental to minimizing the possible detrimental effect of overtreatment of the types of patients who are associated with low disease-related morbidity and mortality.On the other hand,it determines the choice of appropriate treatment and determines if close monitoring of patients at a higher risk is needed.Thus,pCND is currently recommended for T3 and T4 tumors but not for T1 and T2 tumors without high-risk prediction factors of recurrence.

Efficacy of anlotinib combined with radioiodine to treat scalp metastasis of papillary thyroid cancer:A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND Papillary thyroid cancer(PTC)is one of the well-differentiated thyroid tumors.Cutaneous metastasis from differentiated thyroid cancers occurs in<1%of primary thyroid carcinomas but produces the worst survival prognosis.The multi-targeting tyrosine kinase inhibitor anlotinib has been approved to treat refractory advanced non-small-cell lung cancer as well as advanced soft-tissue and clear cell sarcomas in China.CASE SUMMARY In a patient with scalp metastasis caused by PTC,thyroid and skull metastasis tumor sizes were significantly reduced after a trial of neoadjuvant anlotinib therapy for 3 cycles.Anlotinib maintenance medication after thyroidectomy further reduced the metastatic skull tumor size thereby preventing the requirement for craniotomy.CONCLUSION The outcome of the present trial confirmed the potential of anlotinib therapy to treat scalp metastasis induced by PTC and point the way for the treatment of similar diseases in the future.

Intratumoral Bacteria Dysbiosis Is Associated with Human Papillary Thyroid Cancer and Correlated with Oncogenic Signaling Pathways

Emerging evidence suggests that microbial dysbiosis plays vital roles in many human cancers.However,knowledge of whether the microbial community in thyroid tumor is related to tumorigenesis remains elusive.In this study,we aimed to explore the microbial community in thyroid tissues and its contribution to papillary thyroid cancer(PTC).In parallel,we performed microbial profiling and transcriptome sequencing in the tumor and adjacent normal tissues of a large cohort of 340 PTC and benign thyroid nodule(BTN)patients.Distinct microbial signatures were identified in PTC,BTN,and their adjacent nontumor tissues.Intra-thyroid tissue bacteria were verified by means of bacteria staining,fluorescence in situ hybridization,and immunoelectron microscopy.We found that 17 bacterial taxa were differentially abundant in PTC compared with BTN,which included enrichment in PTC of the pathobionts Rhodococcus,Neisseria,Streptococcus,Halomonas,and Devosia,and depletion of the beneficial bacteria Amycolatopsis.These differentially abundant bacteria could differentiate PTC tumor tissues(PTC-T)from BTN tissues(BTN-T)with an area under the curve(AUC)of 81.66%.Microbial network analysis showed increased correlation strengths among the bacterial taxa in PTC-T in comparison with BTN-T.Immunefunction-corresponding bacteria(i.e.,Erwinia,Bacillus,and Acinetobacter)were found to be enriched in PTC with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.Moreover,our integrative analysis revealed that the PTC-enriched bacteria had a positive association with key PTC-oncogenic pathway-related genes,including BRAF,KRAS,IRAK4,CTNNB1,PIK3CA,MAP3K7,and EGFR.In conclusion,our results suggest that intratumor bacteria dysbiosis is associated with the thyroid tumorigenesis and oncogenic signaling pathways of PTC.

Microwave ablation of solitary T1N0M0 papillary thyroid carcinoma:A case report

BACKGROUND The gold standard treatment for papillary thyroid carcinoma is total thyroidectomy and indications for microwave thermal ablation for primary thyroid cancers have not yet been clearly established However,some patients refuse surgery and others have no indication for it,for example patients under palliative care as in this case,or cannot undergo surgery,based on their comorbidities.These indications are described in the most recent Korean,North American and European guidelines.Laser ablation,radiofrequency ablation,and microwave ablation are similarly safe and effective,so the choice should be based on the specific competences and resources of the pertaining centers.These indications are Percutaneous minimally-invasive techniques;they can be useful to stop disease progression and as an alternative to surgery in patients with contraindication or who refuse surgery.We present a case of a thyroid papillary carcinoma with 17 mm effectively treated with microwave thermal ablation and without recurrence after one year of follow up.CASE SUMMARY The authors present a case of a 71-years-old patient with a left lobe papillary thyroid carcinoma with 13 mm×17 mm×13 mm,with no indication for thyroid surgery given the context of another cancer in palliative treatment.Microwave thermoablation was performed on December 2021.Four months later he repeated computed tomography(CT)scan,which showed that the tumor had disappeared.Six months after ablation he underwent a positron emission tomography/CT-fluorodeoxyglucose scan,which didn’t show any evidence of hypermetabolic tumor lesions.CONCLUSION This case shows microwave thermoablation can be a safe and effective alternative to surgery in patients with no conditions to undergo surgery or when they refuse it.By treating the tumor,with this minimally invasive technique,we are stopping its growth and avoiding disease progression.

Effect of Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis on Efficacy of 131I Ablation Therapy in Intermediate- and High-Risk of Thyroid Papillary Carcinoma

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis on efficacy of 131I ablation in intermediate- and high-risk of thyroid papillary carcinoma patients. The findings will help to develop a personalized treatment plan for patients with thyroid papillary carcinoma complicated with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Material and Methods: From January 2016 to December 2020, patients who were diagnosed with intermediate- and high-risk PTC with lymph node metastasis were analyzed retrospectively, excluding patients with incomplete clinical data, distant metastasis, positive TGAb, TSH Results: A total of 525 patients (166 males and 359 females) were included in the study, including 368 patients in ER group (70.1%) and 157 patients in NER group (29.9%). Eleven factors including combining Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, pre-ablative Tg levels, sex, tumor diameter, extraglandular invasion, multifocal, bilateral lesions, central lymph node metastasis, lateral lymph node metastasis, lymph node metastasis rate, thyroglobulin were statistically different between ER group and NER group with significance at P Conclusion: Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Ps-Tg level and lateral lymph node metastasis are potential predictors for short-term efficacy of 131I treatment in intermediate- and high-risk thyroid papillary carcinoma. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, high Ps-Tg level and increased number of lateral lymph node metastasis reduce the efficacy of 131I therapy in patients with intermediate and high risk thyroid papillary carcinoma.

A Case of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Arising from Struma Ovarii and Extending into the Bladder

Ovarian goiter is a form of single tissue teratoma of the ovary, accounting for 2% - 3% of mature ovarian teratomas. Malignant transformation may occur in rare cases. Papillary thyroid-type carcinoma represents the most common type of malignant struma ovarii, followed by follicular carcinoma. Malignant struma ovarii is commonly seen in women in the fifth decade. The diagnosis is often made post-operatively after histological examination. Histology also helps assess tumor aggressiveness (mitoses, necrosis, poorly differentiated subtype, etc.). Given the rarity of these lesions, no therapeutic consensus or prognostic value had yet been formally established. We report herein, the case of a 76-year-old woman with a cystic tumor of the right ovary and a nodular lesion of the bladder. The clinical symptomatology is nonspecific, associating abdomino-pelvic pain and a right latero-uterine mass on abdominal palpation. After total hysterectomy with bilateral adnexectomy, the diagnosis of papillary carcinoma arising from struma ovarii and extending into the bladder was made. Through this observation, we suggest to discuss the anatomoclinical particularities of this rare pathological entity.

Papillary thyroid carcinoma with nodular fasciitis-like stroma-an unusual variant with distinctive histopathology:A case report

BACKGROUND Papillary thyroid carcinoma(PTC)is regarded as a fairly common endocrine malignancy,which can be divided into different multiple variants due to wide morphologic differences.The majority of PTC variants have been reported,but PTC with nodular fasciitis-like stroma(NFS)is a rare pathological variant and has been infrequently reported in the relevant literature.This condition involves abundant reactive stromal components rich in spindle cells,which may account for 60%-80%of the tumor along with a typical papillary carcinoma.CASE SUMMARY A 44-year-old man presented with a 4-mo history of a palpable mass over the anterior aspect of the left neck,the tumor demonstrated gradual enlargement but was painless during the 4 mo prior to discovery.Thyroid function test results were normal.Physical examination showed an enormous and firm nodular mass in the left lobe of the thyroid gland extending to the level of the hyoid bone.Ultrasonography of the neck revealed a well-defined heterogeneous lesion measuring around 5.0 cm×4.0 cm with a hypoechoic complex nodule,decreased vascularity and speckles of microcalcification.The patient underwent left thyroidectomy with central compartment lymph node dissection.Final histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of PTC with extensive fibromatosis-like stroma combined with typical PTC.The patient was asymptomatic at the 3-mo follow-up.CONCLUSION PTC-NFS is a rare pathological variant and its diagnosis and prognosis may be similar to typical papillary carcinoma.

Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma and Pregnancy: What Impact on Prognosis?

Introduction: The impact of pregnancy on the prognosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) has been debated for several decades;however, no definitive conclusions have been reached. The main objective of this study is to demonstrate the short-term influence of pregnancy on the evolution and prognosis of PTC. Materials and Methods: A prospective descriptive and analytical study was conducted in the Endocrinology and Diabetology Department at the Hassan II University Hospital in Fez, including patients followed for papillary thyroid carcinoma presenting with a pregnancy during the year 2019 and 2020. The follow-up of these patients was continued until 1 year postpartum. We studied the clinical, paraclinical and therapeutic factors that could influence the prognosis of the disease. Results: We included 26 patients. Our study showed a significant correlation between recurrence and the presence of unfavorable histological signs (p = 0.02) as well as the initial Tg level (0.01). However, pregnancy was not an influencing factor (p = 0.41). Conclusion: Pregnancy does not seem to be a factor aggravating the prognosis of differentiated thyroid cancers.

Studies on surgical methods for sporadic micromedullary thyroid carcinoma

Background:To observe the changes in serum calcitonin levels after application of different surgical methods for primary medullary thyroid microcarcinoma(MTMC)and explore a more reasonable surgical method.Methods:A retrospective analysis of 36 patients with MTMC,16 in group A and 20 in group B,was performed.In group A,tumors were single and confined to the thyroid lobe,and thyroid lobectomy with isthmusectomy was performed.In group B,tumors were in the isthmus or invaded the thyroid gland,or there were multiple foci in bilateral lobes,and patients with primary foci underwent total thyroidectomy.The median follow-up time was 3.6 years.Clinical and pathological characteristics and changes in serum calcitonin(CTn)and carcinoembryonic antigen levels after the surgery were compared between the 2 groups.Results:The difference in the biochemical cure rate after surgery was statistically significant between patients with preoperative serum calcitonin levels<150 pg/mL and≥150 pg/mL(P<0.01).No significant differences in the biochemical cure rates and serum calcitonin levels were noted at different time points after surgery between group A and group B(P>0.05).One recurrence and metastasis were observed in each group after surgery.Conclusions:After performing different surgical methods for the primary foci of MTMC,the changes in serum calcitonin and carcinoembryonic antigen levels are similar.Especially for patients with single foci confined to the thyroid lobe without lateral cervical lymph node metastasis and with serum calcitonin levels<150 pg/mL,the unilateral thyroid lobectomy with isthmectomy can achieve the same therapeutic effect and biochemical cure rate as total thyroidectomy.

Value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound combined with elastography in evaluating cervical lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma

BACKGROUND Cervical lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma(PTC) affects the treatment and prognosis of patients. Ultrasound is a common imaging method for detecting cervical lymph nodes in PTC patients; however, it is not accurate in determining lymph node metastasis.AIM To evaluate the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound combined with elastography in evaluating cervical lymph node metastasis in PTC.METHODS A total of 94 patients with PTC were recruited. According to pathological results,lymph nodes were divided into two groups: metastatic group(n = 50) and reactive group(n = 63). The routine ultrasound findings, contrast-enhanced ultrasound and elastography data were recorded and compared. Logistic regression was used to generate predictive probability distributions for the diagnosis of lymph node metastasis with different indicators. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to test the efficacy of contrast-enhanced ultrasound combined with elastography based on routine ultrasound in evaluating PTC cervical lymph node metastasis.RESULTS The ratio of long diameter/short diameter(L/S) ≤ 2, irregular marginal morphology, missing lymphatic portal, peripheral or mixed blood flow distribution, peak intensity(PI), non-uniform contrast distribution and elasticity score in the metastatic group were significantly higher than those in the reactive group(P < 0.05). L/S ratio, missing lymphatic portal, PI and elasticity score had a significant influence on the occurrence of PTC cervical lymph node metastasis(P< 0.05). Furthermore, the area under the curve(AUC) for lymph node metastasis diagnosed using the combination of PI ratio, elasticity score, missing lymphatic portal and LS was 0.936, which was significantly higher than the AUC for PI ratio alone. The difference was statistically significant(P < 0.05). The fitting equation for the combined diagnosis was logit(P) =-12.341 + 1.482 × L/S ratio + 3.529 ×missing lymphatic portal + 0.392 × PI + 3.288 × elasticity score.CONCLUSION Based on the gray-scale ultrasound, the combination of contrast-enhanced ultrasound and elastography can accurately assess PTC cervical lymph node metastasis.

BRAF^(V600E) vs. TIRADS in predicting papillary thyroid cancers in Bethesda system Ⅰ, Ⅲ, and Ⅴ nodules

Objective: Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology(BSRTC) categories Ⅰ, Ⅲ, and Ⅴaccount for a significant proportion of fine needle aspiration cytology(FNAC) diagnoses. This study aimed to compare the diagnostic efficacy of BRAF^(V600E) mutation and the Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System(TIRADS) classification in differentiating papillary thyroid cancers(PTCs) from benign lesions among BSRTC I, III, and V nodules.Methods: A total of 472 patients with 479 nodules were enrolled in this prospective study. Ultrasound, BRAF^(V600E) mutation testing, and FNAC were performed in each nodule, followed by surgery or regular ultrasound examination.Results: In the BSRTC I category, BRAF^(V600E) showed similar sensitivity, higher specificity, and lower accuracy when compared with TIRADS. In the BSRTC III/V category, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of BRAF^(V600E) were similar to those of TIRADS. In comparison to BRAF^(V600E) alone, the combination of the two methods significantly improved sensitivity(BSRTC Ⅰ:93.6% vs. 67.7%, P < 0.01; BSRTC Ⅲ: 93.8% vs. 75.0%, P < 0.01; BSRTC V: 96.0% vs. 85.3%, P < 0.001). When compared with TIRADS alone, the combination improved sensitivity in BSRTC Ⅰ nodules(93.6% vs. 74.2%, P < 0.05), increased sensitivity and decreased accuracy in BSRTC III nodules(93.8% vs. 75.0%, P < 0.01, 91.0% vs. 93.6%, P < 0.01), and improved both sensitivity and accuracy in BSRTC V nodules(96.0% vs. 82.0%, P < 0.001; 94.2% vs. 81.3%, P < 0.001).Conclusions: BRAF^(V600E) exhibited higher specificity and lower accuracy compared with TIRADS in BSRTC Ⅰ nodules, while the two methods showed similar diagnostic value in BSRTC Ⅲ/Ⅴ nodules. The combination of the two methods distinctly improved sensitivity in the diagnosis of PTCs in BSRTC Ⅰ, Ⅲ, and Ⅴ nodules.

Comparative study on operative trauma between microwave ablation and surgical treatment for papillary thyroid microcarcinoma

AIM To compare the effect and postoperative trauma of ultrasound-guided percutaneous microwave ablation and surgical resection in the treatment of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma(PTMC).METHODS Eighty-seven patients with PTMC treated at Fudan University affiliated Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital were enrolled as subjects. The patients were divided into a microwave ablation group(41 cases) and a surgical group(46 cases). The operative time, intraoperative blood loss, length of hospital stay, serum C-reactive protein(CRP), interleukin-6(IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), thyroid-related hormonal changes, and complications 7 d and 30 d after surgery were observed. RESULTS The operative time, intraoperative blood loss, and length of hospital stay in the surgical group were significantly higher than those in the microwave ablation group(P < 0.05). The levels of CRP, IL-6, and TNF-α in the surgical group were significantly higher than those in the microwave ablation group(P < 0.05). The free triiodothyronine(FT3) and free thyroxin(FT4) levels in the surgical group were significantly lower than those in the microwave ablation group(P < 0.05). However,the postoperative thyroid stimulating hormone(TSH)level was significantly higher than that in the microwave ablation group(P < 0.05). There were significant interactions between the FT3, FT4, and TSH 7 d and 30 d after operation and the treatment methods(P < 0.05).There was no significant difference in the complications between the two groups(P > 0.05). CONCLUSION Microwave ablation for papillary microcarcinoma of the thyroid gland has less trauma to the body, quicker recovery, and no scars. It can effectively shorten the length of hospital stay and improve the quality of life of patients.

Predictive Value of BRAF^V600E Mutation for Lymph Node Metastasis in Papillary Thyroid Cancer:A Meta-analysis

BRAF^V600E mutation has been thought to be a valuable molecular marker that may predict a worse prognosis for papillary thyroid cancer (PTC).But whether BRAF^V600E mutation is associated with lymph node metastasis (LNM)remains controversial. Different surgical strategies may bring a bias in demonsstrating the association between them.In order to delineate a risk stratification to guide a tailored initial approach to tumors that express BRAF^V600E mutation,we performed this meta-analysis by using the articles in which total or near-total thyroidectomy plus bilateral central lymph node dissection was routinely performed to avoid the bias from the surgical strategy.We searched the Medline,Embase and CNKI database for eligible studies from January 2003 to May 2018.Meta-analysis was performed using the STATA 12.0 software.Odds ratios (ORs)and 95% confidence intervals (CIs)were calculated under fixed-effects or random-effects models.Fifteen clinical studies were included with a total of 4909 PTC patients. Our meta-analysis results reported that BRAF^V600E mutation was associated with LNM (OR=1.34;95% CI:1.09-1.65;P=0.005),as well as central LNM (OR=1.59;95% CI: 1.35-1.88;P<0.00001).Moreover,in patients with papillary thyroid microcarcinoma, we also confirmed the predictive value of BRAF^V600E mutation for LNM (OR=3.49;95% CI:2.02-6.02;P<0.00001).This meta-analysis demonstrates that BRAF^V600E mutation is closely related to LNM in PTC patients.The results suggest that BRAF^V600E mutation can be considered as a risk factor for LNM in PTC.Moreover,combining BRAF^V600E mutation with other risk factors to determine the initial surgical treatment may bring benefits for PTC patients.

Predictive factors for central lymph node metastases in papillary thyroid microcarcinoma

Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma(PTMC)measures 1 cm or less in its longest dimension.The incidence of PTMC is increasing worldwide.Surgery is the primary treatment;however,prophylactic central lymph node dissection is controversial,and discrepancies between different guidelines have been noted.Routine prophylactic central lymph node dissection may result in hypoparathyroidism and recurrent laryngeal nerve injury in some patients without lymph node metastasis,while simple thyroidectomy may leave metastatic lymph nodes in high-risk patients.To selectively perform prophylactic lymph node dissections in high-risk patients,it is important to identify predictive factors for lymph node metastases in patients with PTMC.Several studies have reported on this,but their conclusions are not entirely consistent.Several clinicopathologic characteristics have been identified as risk factors for central lymph node metastases,and the most commonly reported factors include age,gender,tumor size and location,multifocality,bilaterality,extrathyroidal extension,and abnormal lymph node found using ultrasound.Here,we provide an overview of previous studies along with a favorable opinion on or against these factors,with the aim of increasing the understanding of this topic among the medical community.In addition,current opinions about prophylactic central lymph node dissection are reviewed and discussed.

Clinical and Sonographic Assessment of Cervical Lymph Node Metastasis in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

The purpose of this study was to assess the differences in clinical and sonographic features of papillary thyroid carcinoma（PTC） between cervical lymph node metastatic（CLNM） and nonmetastatic groups.Clinical data of PTC patients（414 patients with 624 malignant nodules） who underwent a preoperative ultrasonography and surgery between June 2010 and March 2015 at Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University were retrospectively analyzed.Clinical factors,preoperative ultrasound features and the final pathological findings were obtained.The differences in the sonographic features of PTC between the CLNM group and the non-CLNM group were analyzed.There were 187 CLNM and 227 non-CLNM patients.The median age at the diagnosis of this cohort was 45.4 years old（ranging from 18 to 77 years）.Ultrasonographic parameters that were significantly associated with CLNM [OR=2.569（1.502,4.393）,P〈0.001）] were as follows：the mulifocality of the nodules,size over 2 cm,the presence of microcalcifications,the distance ratio（DR） pattern showing the contact of the nodules with the thyroid capsule,and the extracapsular spread of the nodules.No significant differences in age,gender,thyroid stimulating hormone（TSH） levels and other ultrasonography parameters were found between the CLNM and the non-CLNM groups.Therefore,our results suggest that a larger size,microcalcifications,mulifocality,and the DR pattern showing the contact of the nodules with the thyroid capsule and extracapsular spread are significantly more indicative of CLNM in PTC.

Relationship between Expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Cervical Lymph Node Metastasis in Papillary Thyroid Cancer: A Meta-analysis

The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between the protein expression of vascular endothelial growth factor（VEGF） and lymph node metastasis（LNM） in papillary thyroid cancer（PTC）. VEGF-related articles that had been published until August 2016 were searched from the Pub Med, EMBASE, and MEDLINE to identify the risk factors of LNM in PTC. Rev Man 5.3 software was used for the meta-analysis. Finally, 9 articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in our meta-analysis. LNM was found to be present in 176 of 318 patients（57.8%） with high VEGF expression and in 71 of 159 patients（47.0%） with low VEGF expression. The overall OR was 2.81（95% confidence interval, 1.49–5.29）. LNM occurred more frequently in patients with high VEGF expression than in those with low VEGF expression（P=0.001）. Heterogeneity was markedly decreased in the subgroup analyses of LNM in terms of the patients＇ country of origin and the detection methods. Our meta-analysis concluded that the VEGF protein expression is associated with LNM in PTC.

BRAF^(V600E) Mutation and Its Association with Clinicopathological Features of Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma: A Meta-Analysis

Summary： Recent studies have demonstrated that the BRAFv600E mutation is associated with aggres- sive clinicopathological features of papillary thyroid carcinoma （PTC）. However, the BRAF mutation as a prognostic biomarker in papillary thyroid microcarcinoma （PTMC） is unclear. A systematic search of the electronic databases, including Medline, Scopus, CNKI and the Cochrane Library was performed up to July 1, 2014. Outcomes of interest included age, gender, concomitant hashimoto thyroiditis or nodular goiter, tumor size, pathological stage, tall cell variant of PTMC （TCVPTMC）, multifocality, extrathyroidal extension （ETE） and lymph node metastasis （LNM）. A total of 19 studies published from 2008 to 2014 comprising 2253 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were in- cluded in the meta-analysis, and 1143 （50.7%） of these patients were BRAF mutation positive. BRAF mutation was associated with larger tumor size （OR： 1.64; 95% CI： 1.16-2.32）, multifocality （OR： 1.58; 95% CI： 1.25-2.00）, ETE （OR： 2.59; 95% CI： 2.03-3.29）, LNM （OR： 1.73; 95% CI： 1.14-2.62）, advanced stage （OR： 2.03; 95% CI： 1.14-3.64） and TCVPTMC （OR： 5.07; 95% CI： 1.49-17.27; P=0.009）. Additionally, the BRAF mutation was found to be not associated with age, gender, con- comitant hashimoto thyroiditis or nodular goiter （P〉0.05 for all）. This meta-analysis revealed that in patients with PTMC, BRAF mutation is associated with tumor size, multifocality, ETE, LNM, ad- vanced stage and TCVPTMC, and it may be used as a predictive factor for prognosis of PTMC.

The active surveillance management approach for patients with low risk papillary thyroid microcarcinomas: is China ready?

Due to exponential increases in incidences,low risk papillary thyroid microcarcinoma(PTMC)has become a clinical and social issue in recent years.An active surveillance(AS)management approach is an alternative to immediate surgery for patients with low risk PTMC.With decreased doubts about the safety and validity due to evidence from a large number of studies,the AS approach has become increasingly popular worldwide.However,Chinese thyroid surgeons still lag behind other countries in their knowledge of clinical practices and research related to AS.To promote the implementation of AS in China,thyroid surgeons should understand the implications,advantages,and disadvantages of management approaches for AS,and should also consider the willingness of Chinese patients,the impact on the medical billing system,and the enthusiasm of doctors.Thus,a management approach for AS based on the Chinese population should be developed to reduce the risk of disease progression and enhance patient adherence.Herein,we summarize the recent research achievements and deficiencies in AS approaches,and describe the initial experiences regarding AS in the Chinese population,in order to assist Chinese thyroid surgeons in preparing for AS management in the era of PTMC precision medicine.