Background: Multifocal thyroid cancer involvement is a common presentation in papillary thyroid cancer. The risk of recurrence of intrathyroidal multifocal papillary microcarcinoma (<1 cm) is documented to be low. However, the risk of recurrence of multifocal macroscopic thyroid cancer is not known. Prior studies have suggested that both the number of foci and the presence of nodal involvement at diagnosis are important predictors of recurrence in multifocal papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Objectives: In this retrospective review of 99 patients presenting with multifocal macroscopic PTC (with 2 tumor foci >1 cm) without gross extrathyroidal extension, we examined the clinical outcomes of patients in the first 2 years after the initial therapy and at the end of the follow-up period (median: 5 years). Results: Half of the patients presenting with multifocal macroscopic PTC had nodal involvement at diagnosis. Only 4 patients had a recurrence on long-term follow-up, all with classic or tall-cell variant PTC with bulky nodal involvement at diagnosis. The number of tumor foci did not influence the risk of recurrence in this cohort. The median time to recurrence in these 4 patients was 11 years, with all patients having a recurrence after 9 years of follow-up. None of patients developed distant metastasis or died from thyroid cancer. Conclusions: Patients presenting with multifocal macroscopic papillary thyroid cancer without bulky nodal involvement or gross extrathyroidal extension have a low risk of thyroid cancer recurrence.
Background: Viral infections are a well-recognized cause of subacute thyroiditis (SAT), but other etiologies are occasionally seen. Here we present a case of SAT in a patient receiving chronic tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNF-i) therapy. Serum thyroglobulin (Tg) levels in healthy individuals have been reported and range 1.40-29.2ng/mL in males and 1.50-38.5ng/mL. There are no known serum Tg levels of reference in SAT. Clinical Case: A 43-year-old woman with a history of psoriasis treated with adalimumab presented to her primary care physician (PCP) 2 months after her mother had noticed the patient’s new goiter. Patient recalled upper respiratory infection symptoms lasting 1.5 weeks, and subsequent agitation, insomnia, and a low-grade fever preceding the development of goiter. She denied neck compressive symptoms aside from mild dysphagia. She has been treated with adalimumab 40mg subcutaneous injection weekly for psoriasis with good results for the past 3.5 years and was on norethindrone 0.35mg daily for contraception. Her thyroid exam with her PCP revealed a diffuse painless goiter and she was clinically euthyroid. Labs revealed a TSH 1.44mIU/L [0.45-5.33], TT3 104ng/dL [60-181], fT3 3.3pg/mL [2.3-4.2], fT4 0.83ng/dL [0.89-1.76], and Tg 288.7ng/mL [1.6-50]. Thyroid antibodies (Tg, thyroid peroxidase and thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin) were negative. She tested negative for COVID-19. The neck ultrasound showed an enlarged pseudonodular thyroid gland with a heterogenous parenchyma and diffuse hypervascularity bilaterally (right lobe, 7.4 x 2.8 x 3.0 cm; left lobe, 8.4 x 3.2 x 3.6 cm; isthmus, 9 mm). A month later, repeat labs showed TSH 1.56 mIU/L, TT3 85 ng/dL, fT4 0.74 ng/dL, and Tg 231.2 ng/mL. She was subsequently referred to Endocrine Clinic 4 months after her initial presentation. She had a persistent diffuse painless goiter, minimally decreased in size, and she remained clinically euthyroid. Labs included a TSH 1.75 mIU/L and fT4 0.78 ng/dL. Conclusion: There are known associations of SAT with chronic TNF-i therapy in patients with psoriasis. Viral infections are an identified cause, but other triggers in chronic TNF-i therapy may exist. Serum Tg is elevated during SAT, but in this case Tg elevation was very significant. Although normal serum Tg levels are established in healthy individuals, there are no known reference values during SAT. Tg levels should not be used in acute illness period to evaluate illness severity or the resolution of SAT.
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