title: Differentiated thyroid cancer patients more than 60 years old paradoxically show an increased life expectancy.
abstract: The aim of this study was to compare the overall survival of a large, single-center cohort of patients who had differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) with that of a matched general population.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed 2,428 consecutive patients who had DTC and underwent treatment from 1965 to 2013 at the Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Münster, Münster, Germany, according to international standards. Patients were classified on the basis of the current, seventh edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer/Union for International Cancer Control classification system. Additionally, a subgroup analysis with regard to age at diagnosis was performed. The overall survival of the patients was compared with the expected survival of the general population on the basis of age and sex, as provided by the Federal Statistical Office of Germany.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the expected survival, the overall survival of patients with stage I disease paradoxically was significantly better (P < 0.001). In the subgroup analysis, a significantly lower mortality rate was observed in elderly patients (≥60 y old) with stage I disease. On the other hand, patients between 20 and 45 y of age and with distant metastases at diagnosis had a significantly increased standardized mortality rate. In contrast, other patients with stage II disease and more than 45 y old had a normal mortality rate. The mortality rate was significantly increased in all patients with stage IVC disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Older patients with more limited disease paradoxically had better survival than would be expected on the basis of age and sex, whereas young adults as well as patients more than 45 y old and with distant metastases had increased mortality rates. For all other DTC patients, regardless of age or TNM stage, no significant survival difference was seen.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany; and.
authors.forename: Tobias Markus
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Maier
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany; and.
authors.forename: Otmar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Schober
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biostatistics and Clinical Research, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gerß
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biostatistics and Clinical Research, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Görlich
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany; and.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wenning
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany; and.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schaefers
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany; and.
authors.forename: Burkhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Riemann
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany; and vrachal@uni-muenster.de.
authors.forename: Alexis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vrachimis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011379:Prognosis; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes
keywords: differentiated thyroid cancer; expected survival; overall survival