title: Preoperative serum thyroglobulin concentration is an independent predictive factor of malignancy in follicular neoplasms of the thyroid gland.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A distinction between a benign follicular neoplasm (FN) and a malignant FN based entirely on cytologic examination of fine-needle aspiration biopsy is not possible. The aim of this retrospective study was to find predictive factors of carcinoma in patients with FN.
  
  
  METHODS
  A chart review of 388 patients (314 females, 74 males; mean age 50 years, range 9-81 years) with FN, who were surgically treated between 1988 and 2009, was performed. Predictive factors for malignancy were identified by the chi-squared test and multivariate logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The histopathological diagnoses were carcinoma, adenoma, and benign goiter in 127 (33%), 126 (32%), and 135 (35%) patients, respectively. The independent predictors of malignancy as shown by multivariate logistic regression were age of patients (OR 1.88, P = 0.008), solitary tumor (OR 1.72, P = 0.037), and Tg concentration (OR 2.36, P = 0.001). Carcinoma was more common in patients younger than 45 years, with solitary tumor and with preoperative serum Tg concentration more than 400 ng/ml.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The independent predictors of malignancy in FN were age of patients, solitary tumor, and preoperative Tg concentration. The determination of Tg concentration may be useful in the patients with FN in order to decrease the number of completion thyroidectomies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Institute of Oncology, Zaloska, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Rok
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Petric
authors.forename: Andraz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perhavec
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gazic
authors.forename: Nikola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Besic
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006042:Goiter / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013954:Thyroglobulin / Q000097:blood*; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000378:metabolism*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D013965:Thyroidectomy; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D013954:Thyroglobulin