title: Clinicopathological and prognostic analysis of follicular thyroid carcinoma in a single institute over a 15-year period.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was to evaluate the clinicopathological and prognostic features of follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) in our institute over a 15-year period.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical features, management and outcome of 134 consecutive patients were analyzed according to the time of diagnosis: Group I (1997-2001), Group II (2002-2006), and Group III (2007-2011).
  
  
  RESULTS
  As time advanced, the ratio of FTC to papillary thyroid carcinoma decreased from 8.7% in group I to 4.3% in group III (p = 0.000). The percentage of patients undergoing total thyroidectomy seemed to be more commonly used in the later periods - from 10.5% in group I to 21.8% in group II and 18.9% in group III. The median diameter of tumors in group I was 4.2 cm and it showed a sharp decrease to 2.8 cm in group II and 2.9 cm in group III respectively. There was a trend towards a higher stage in patients from Group I vs. patients from Groups II and III (stage IV, 15.8% vs. 2.2% and 4.3%, p = 0.072). The outcome was improved in terms of disease-free survival (DFS). The 3-year DFS rate improved from 77.8% in group I to 93.7% in group II and 100% in group III (p = 0.008).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The clinical features, management and outcome of FTC patients changed over 15-year period. Patients diagnosed after 2001 had a better prognosis. This improvement was probably related to earlier diagnosis with smaller tumor size and presentation at earlier tumor stage.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Center, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79th Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310003, China.
authors.forename: X F
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Cancer Center, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79th Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310003, China.
authors.forename: W B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79th Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310003, China.
authors.forename: X D
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Teng
authors.affiliation: Cancer Center, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79th Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310003, China.
authors.forename: H Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 1st Xueshi Road, Hangzhou 310006, China.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Cancer Center, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79th Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310003, China.
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Cancer Center, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79th Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310003, China.
authors.forename: Z M
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, New York Presbyterian Hospital, and Weill Medical College of Cornell University, 525 East 68th Street, Room F-2024, New York 10065, NY, USA.
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Fahey
authors.affiliation: Cancer Center, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79th Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310003, China. Electronic address: lsteng@zju.edu.cn.
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Teng
mesh_terms: D018263:Adenocarcinoma, Follicular / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002681:China; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000379:methods; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Clinicopathological features; Follicular thyroid carcinoma; Prognosis