Consider or not consider: the unsolved question on the use of radioactive iodine for differentiated thyroid cancer with low to intermediate risk of recurrence.
Pasqualino Malandrino, Dario Tumino, Marco Russo, Rosario Le Moli, Antonio Prinzi, Tommaso Piticchio, Francesco Frasca
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Surgery stands as the cornerstone treatment for differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). After surgery, radioactive iodine (RAI) administration is primarily recommended for high-risk patients and commonly employed to address residual disease or mitigate the risk of recurrence. However, the optimal application of RAI in cases categorized as low to intermediate risk is still uncertain. This study aims to assess the indication of post-surgical RAI treatment specifically in patients diagnosed with DTC falling within the low to intermediate risk category for recurrent disease.
Methods: retrospective analysis of consecutive patients with DTC falling within the low to intermediate risk category for recurrence and diagnosed between 2009-2015. Patients were categorized into either treated or untreated with RAI. Treatment effect was assessed by the inverse-probability weighted regression adjustment (IPWRA), by balancing the distribution of factors influencing outcome and treatment assignment.
Results: after surgery, 328 patients (69.9%) were treated with RAI while 141 (30.1%) were left untreated. Across the entire cohort, 44 individuals (9.4%) displayed biochemical or structural disease after a median time of 17.5 months following diagnosis. Recurrent disease was more prevalent in patients who underwent RAI treatment compared to those untreated (12.5% vs 2.1%, respectively, p < 0.001). Factors independently associated with recurrent disease, identified through multivariate logistic regression analysis, included lymph node metastases (pN1) (OR = 4.07; 95% CI 1.84-8.97), male sex (OR = 2.71; 95% CI 1.31-5.59), tumor size (OR = 1.03; 95% CI 1.00-1.06), and microscopic extrathyroidal extension (OR = 2.36; 95% CI 1.15-4.81). IPWRA analysis revealed that the occurrence of recurrent disease was 9.6% (95% CI = 6.3-12.9) in RAI-treated patients and 15.9% (95% CI = 11.1-20.71) in untreated patients (p = 0.021). As a consequence, if all patients underwent RAI treatment, the estimated risk of recurrence would be reduced by 42% (RR = 0.58; 95% CI = 0.35-0.91, p = 0.018). The greatest benefit was observed in patients with 2 intermediate risk factors.
Conclusions: These results suggest that treatment with RAI in low to intermediate DTC can reduce the risk of recurrence in selected patients. However, definitive answers regarding whether to consider RAI therapy for this category of patients can only be attained through prospective clinical trials. Up to date these results recommend a meticulous assessment of tumor characteristics at diagnosis to guide the decision regarding RAI administration.
背景:手术是分化型甲状腺癌(DTC)的基础治疗方法。手术后,放射性碘(RAI)主要推荐用于高危患者,通常用于治疗残留疾病或降低复发风险。然而,在中低风险病例中应用 RAI 的最佳方案仍不确定。本研究旨在评估手术后 RAI 治疗的适应症,特别是确诊为复发疾病中低等风险类别的 DTC 患者。方法:对 2009-2015 年间确诊为复发疾病中低等风险类别的 DTC 连续患者进行回顾性分析。患者被分为接受 RAI 治疗和未接受 RAI 治疗两种。治疗效果通过反概率加权回归调整(IPWRA)进行评估,方法是平衡影响结果和治疗分配的因素分布。在整个队列中,有 44 人(9.4%)在确诊后的中位时间 17.5 个月后出现生化或结构性疾病。与未接受 RAI 治疗的患者相比,接受 RAI 治疗的患者复发率更高(分别为 12.5% 对 2.1%,P这些结果表明,对中低度 DTC 患者进行 RAI 治疗可降低特定患者的复发风险。然而,是否考虑对这类患者进行 RAI 治疗,只有通过前瞻性临床试验才能得出明确答案。迄今为止,这些结果都建议在诊断时对肿瘤特征进行细致评估,以指导 RAI 治疗的决策。
期刊介绍:
Well-established as a major journal in today’s rapidly advancing experimental and clinical research areas, Endocrine publishes original articles devoted to basic (including molecular, cellular and physiological studies), translational and clinical research in all the different fields of endocrinology and metabolism. Articles will be accepted based on peer-reviews, priority, and editorial decision. Invited reviews, mini-reviews and viewpoints on relevant pathophysiological and clinical topics, as well as Editorials on articles appearing in the Journal, are published. Unsolicited Editorials will be evaluated by the editorial team. Outcomes of scientific meetings, as well as guidelines and position statements, may be submitted. The Journal also considers special feature articles in the field of endocrine genetics and epigenetics, as well as articles devoted to novel methods and techniques in endocrinology.
Endocrine covers controversial, clinical endocrine issues. Meta-analyses on endocrine and metabolic topics are also accepted. Descriptions of single clinical cases and/or small patients studies are not published unless of exceptional interest. However, reports of novel imaging studies and endocrine side effects in single patients may be considered. Research letters and letters to the editor related or unrelated to recently published articles can be submitted.
Endocrine covers leading topics in endocrinology such as neuroendocrinology, pituitary and hypothalamic peptides, thyroid physiological and clinical aspects, bone and mineral metabolism and osteoporosis, obesity, lipid and energy metabolism and food intake control, insulin, Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, hormones of male and female reproduction, adrenal diseases pediatric and geriatric endocrinology, endocrine hypertension and endocrine oncology.