title: Variations in clinicopathologic characteristics of thyroid cancer among racial ethnic groups: analysis of a large public city hospital and the SEER database.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Clinicopathologic variables influence the treatment and prognosis of patients with thyroid cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis of public hospital thyroid cancer database and the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results 17 database was conducted. Demographic, clinical, and pathologic data were compared across ethnic groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Within the public hospital database, Hispanics versus non-Hispanic whites were younger and had more lymph node involvement (34% vs 17%, P < .001). Median tumor size was not statistically different across ethnic groups. Similar findings were demonstrated within the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database. African Americans aged <45 years had the largest tumors but were least likely to have lymph node involvement. Asians had the most stage IV disease despite having no differences in tumor size, lymph node involvement, and capsular invasion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is considerable variability in the clinical presentation of thyroid cancer across ethnic groups. Such disparities persist within an equal-access health care system. These findings suggest that factors beyond socioeconomics may contribute to such differences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, NorthShore University HealthSystem, 2650 Ridge Avenue, Evanston, IL 60025, USA. Electronic address: tmoo-young@northshore.org.
authors.forename: Tricia A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Moo-Young
authors.forename: Jessel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Panergo
authors.forename: Chih E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Subhash
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Hong Yan
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Duh
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Winchester
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Prinz
authors.forename: Leon
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fogelfeld
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000208:ethnology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018426:SEER Program; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000473:pathology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cancer; Disparities; Ethnic; Minority; Thyroid