Coexistence of chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis is associated with lower recurrence rates in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
The effect of coexistent chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis (CLT) on prognosis in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients remains controversial. We evaluated the influence of coexistent CLT on prognostic outcome and the association of coexistent CLT with clinicopathological parameters.


METHODS
A retrospective study with a median follow-up of 70 months.


METHODS
Patients with PTC who underwent total thyroidectomy followed by (131)I remnant ablation between 1995 and 2003 at Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea were enrolled. CLT was diagnosed histopathologically.


RESULTS
Among 1441 patients, 214 (14.9%) had coexistent CLT. A greater female preponderance was noted in the patients with CLT compared with those without CLT (P < 0.01). Mean tumour size in the patients with CLT was smaller than that in patients without CLT (2.0 +/- 1.2 vs. 2.2 +/- 1.4 cm; P = 0.02). One hundred and fifty-one (12.3%) patients without CLT had recurrence, whereas 14 (7.1%) patients with CLT had recurrence during the follow-up period (P = 0.016). In patients with cervical lymph node metastases, those with coexistent CLT showed a significantly lower recurrence rate than those without CLT (P = 0.012). However, this association was lost on multivariate analysis adjusting for other clinicopathological predictors for recurrence.


CONCLUSIONS
In this study, CLT was commonly associated with PTC and was associated with smaller size of the primary tumour at presentation. CLT was also associated with a reduced risk of recurrence during follow-up, although this was not significant after adjustment for other prognostic factors.
Kim
Eui Young
EY
Department of Endocrinology & Metabolism, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, S.Korea.
Kim
Won Gu
WG
Kim
Won Bae
WB
Kim
Tae Yong
TY
Kim
Jung Min
JM
Ryu
Jin-Sook
JS
Hong
Suck Joon
SJ
Gong
Gyungyub
G
Shong
Young Kee
YK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D050031:Hashimoto Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013965:Thyroidectomy; D016896:Treatment Outcome