Elevated Risk of Papillary Thyroid Cancer in Guatemalan Patients with Hashimoto Thyroiditis

Abstract

Ab s t r Ac t Aim and objective: The relationship between Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) and papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) regarding their concurrence and the effect of concurrent HT on the prognosis of PTC has been controversial. In Guatemala, there are no studies of the coexistence of PTC and HT. This study aimed to determine if the presence of HT increased de risk of PTC and to determine if the presence of HT decreases the aggressiveness of PTC. Materials and methods: Clinicopathological data were assessed in all patients (n = 381) with thyroid pathology operated by a single surgical team over a period of 1996 to 2014 in Guatemala City. Of these participants, 115 with histologically confirmed PTC, measures of tumor aggressiveness were compared between patients with PTC and HT and PTC without HT. Results: In our study population, 19% (73/381) of the patients presented HT. After adjusting for age, sex, and nodule size; patients with HT presented more coexisting PTC [OR 2.56 (1.35–4.87)] compared to patients without HT. In the subgroup of patients with PTC (n = 115), 23% (26/115) had to coexist HT. Nodule size, angiovascular invasion, capsular invasion, lymph node metastasis, and extrathyroidal tissue invasion did not differ between patients with PTC with and without HT. Conclusion: The presence of HT in Guatemalan patients increases the risk of PTC, and the presence of HT does not decrease the aggressiveness of PTC. Clinical significance: High prevalence of PTC in patients with HT requires close clinical monitoring of patients.