Multivariate analysis of histopathological features as prognostic factors in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma

Abstract

A retrospective analysis of 121 papillary thyroid carcinomas was made to assess prognostic factors including histological variants which might be related to survival. The mean follow-up period was 10 years and clinical, surgical and histopathological data were studied. The survival curves were analysed by the Kaplan-Meier method and the multivariate analysis used Cox's regression model. Eighty-seven patients had well differentiated papillary cancers. The survival rate for papillary thyroid cancer was 86 per cent at 5 years and 72 per cent at 10 years. Factors showing prognostic significance for survival were tumour size, extrathyroid extension and histological type. Disease-free survival was influenced by sex, existence of a capsule and nodal metastases. Factors showing a favourable prognosis were: age under 45 years, size less than 4 cm, no extrathyroid extension and well differentiated histological type (P < 0.001). Histological subtype was one of the most important prognostic factors.

Minimal Extrathyroid Extension Does Not Affect the Relapse-Free Survival of Patients with Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Measuring 4 cm or Less over the Age of 45 Years

“…[3][4][5][6][7][8] However, all of these studies investigated the difference in prognosis between patients with and without extrathyroid extension without considering differences in the degree of extension.…”

Papillary thyroid carcinoma: an update

“…Pathologic variables associated with a more guarded prognosis include less differentiated or solid areas, vascular invasion, and aneuploid cell population. 3,4,37,45,46 Whether certain subtypes of papillary carcinoma are in and of themselves associated with more aggressive clinical behavior are unclear. However, at least four subtypes should be mentioned in this regard: tall cell variant, diffuse sclerosis variant, solid variant, and follicular variant.…”

Pathologic diagnosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma: today and tomorrow

“…Pathologic variables associated with a more guarded prognosis include less differentiated or solid areas, vascular invasion and aneuploid cell population [2,7,51]. The independent prognostic factors in papillary carcinoma include tumor size, extrathyroidal disease and histopathologic subtype [124]. Noguchi found varying prognostic factors in males and females.…”