Risks and adequacy of an optimized surgical approach to the primary surgical management of papillary thyroid carcinoma treated during 1999-2006.
BACKGROUND
Intense disease surveillance and frequent lymph node metastases (LNMs) in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) have resulted in increased locoregional recurrences. We examined the safety and efficacy of an optimized surgical approach including preoperative ultrasonography (US), bilateral thyroidectomy, routine compartment VI dissection, and lateral neck dissection for LNM.


METHODS
During 1999-2006, a total of 420 patients underwent optimized primary surgery; 291(69%) females, median age 46 years; follow-up 98%, median 4.4 years. Patients were reviewed for tumor characteristics, pattern of LNM, staging, and outcomes.


RESULTS
Total or near-total thyroidectomy was performed in 212 (51%) and 208 (49%) patients, respectively. Tumors were multicentric, 40% (average 1.7 cm); were bilateral, 30%; and showed extrathyroidal extension, 17%. Overall, 223 (53%) patients had LNMs: 213 (51%) were central and 85 (20%) were lateral jugular. pTNM staging: I, 258 (61%); II, 35 (8%); III, 88 (21%); IV, 39 (9%). AGES (age, grade, extension, and size-thyroid tumor; and MACIS (metastasis, age, completeness of resection, invasion, and size) prognostic scores were low risk in 362 (86%) and 352 (84%), respectively. Relapse developed in 57 (14%) patients: LNM in 44, soft tissue local recurrence (LR) in 5, distant metastases (DM) in 8. Hypoparathyroidism occurred in 5 (1.2%) patients and 1 had unintentional laryngeal nerve damage. Relapse with LNM occurred in previously operated fields in 19 (5%) patients, 11(3%) from disease virulence (LR or DM), preoperative false-negative (FN) US in 12 (3%), and combination of FN-US and recurrence in the operated field in 5 (1%) patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Recurrence was limited to 5% of patients when the extent of disease was accurately defined and potentially curable. This optimized surgical strategy is relatively safe.
Grant
Clive S
CS
Department of Gastrointestinal and General Surgery, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. cgrant@mayo.edu
Stulak
John M
JM
Thompson
Geoffrey B
GB
Richards
Melanie L
ML
Reading
Carl C
CC
Hay
Ian D
ID
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D037981:Neck Dissection; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012307:Risk Factors; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography
D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes