Since the new data about molecular signature of undifferentiated thyroid cancer suggest that they can develop from differentiated thyroid cancers (mainly those with BRAF mutations). The aim of this study was to identify clinical risk factors to metastasis development after the diagnosis and/or undifferentiation in non-medullary thyroid cancers. For this purpose, we follow up all 125 patients with non-medullary thyroid carcinomas who have been seen in our institution in the last 2 years. The data were collected and analyzed. From these patients, we identify 15 patients with distant metastasis: only one with anaplastic thyroid cancer. Between the differentiated thyroid carcinomas, 11 were female and 3 were male (3.1:1 ratio). Although the majority of differentiated thyroid carcinomas have a good prognosis, distant metastasis was found in the initial diagnosis in 9 of 14 patients (64.3%) with differentiated thyroid carcinomas. No correlation between type of tumor (follicular or papillary) and metastasis development was observed. All of them had received radioiodine therapy until clinical stabilization or the maximum dose allowed (638.57mCi ± 281.43). All the metastasis from differentiated thyroid carcinomas had uptake iodine. Although the majority of patients could not be considered cured, classic undifferentiation was not detected in these patients. The patient with anaplastic thyroid cancer had died in the first year of follow-up. Only one patient had died because COPD complications and all the others were still alive. Interestingly, 64.3% of patients had 9 or more years of survival until the present moment. Because we had few patients who developed metastasis after the diagnosis, we cannot valuate the meaning of our findings. However, since the majority of distant metastasis are present from the very beginning, it seems that the correct and precocious diagnosis of thyroid nodules and/or goiter prevent thyroid cancer progression.
Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2010;3(1 Suppl):B120.
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