Postoperative Radioiodine Treatment within 9 Months from Diagnosis Significantly Reduces the Risk of Relapse in Low-Risk Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma / 대한핵의학회잡지

PURPOSE: Although postoperative radioiodine (RAI) therapy has been used in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) for many years, there is still lack of data defining the timing of RAI administration. A retrospective analysis was carried out to answer the question whether the time of postoperative RAI treatment demonstrated any impact on long-term outcomes, particularly in low-risk DTC.MATERIAL: The analyzed group involved 701 DTC patients staged pT(1b)-T₄N₀-N₁M₀, who underwent total thyroidectomy and postoperative RAI therapy. According to the time interval between DTC diagnosis and RAI administration, patients were allocated to one of three groups: up to 9 months (N = 150), between 9 and 24 months (N = 323), and > 24 months (N = 228). Median follow-up was 12.1 years (1.5−15.2).RESULTS: Based on an initial DTC advancement and postoperative stimulated thyroglobulin concentration patients were stratified as a low-, intermediate-, and high-risk group. Low-risk patients, who received RAI therapy up to 9 months, demonstrated significantly lower risk of relapse comparing to those, in whom RAI was administered between 9 and 24 months and after 24 months since DTC diagnosis: 0%, 5.5%, and 7.1%, respectively. Regarding intermediate- and high-risk groups, the differences in the timing of postoperative RAI treatment were not significant.CONCLUSION: If postoperative RAI treatment is considered in low-risk DTC, any delay in RAI administration above 9 months since diagnosis may be related to poorer long-term outcomes.

Postoperative Radioiodine Treatment within 9 Months from Diagnosis Significantly Reduces the Risk of Relapse in Low-Risk Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma / 대한핵의학회잡지

PURPOSE@#Although postoperative radioiodine (RAI) therapy has been used in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) for many years, there is still lack of data defining the timing of RAI administration. A retrospective analysis was carried out to answer the question whether the time of postoperative RAI treatment demonstrated any impact on long-term outcomes, particularly in low-risk DTC.MATERIAL: The analyzed group involved 701 DTC patients staged pT(1b)-T₄N₀-N₁M₀, who underwent total thyroidectomy and postoperative RAI therapy. According to the time interval between DTC diagnosis and RAI administration, patients were allocated to one of three groups: up to 9 months (N = 150), between 9 and 24 months (N = 323), and > 24 months (N = 228). Median follow-up was 12.1 years (1.5−15.2).@*RESULTS@#Based on an initial DTC advancement and postoperative stimulated thyroglobulin concentration patients were stratified as a low-, intermediate-, and high-risk group. Low-risk patients, who received RAI therapy up to 9 months, demonstrated significantly lower risk of relapse comparing to those, in whom RAI was administered between 9 and 24 months and after 24 months since DTC diagnosis: 0%, 5.5%, and 7.1%, respectively. Regarding intermediate- and high-risk groups, the differences in the timing of postoperative RAI treatment were not significant.@*CONCLUSION@#If postoperative RAI treatment is considered in low-risk DTC, any delay in RAI administration above 9 months since diagnosis may be related to poorer long-term outcomes.

role of positron emission tomography in mediastinal staging of patients with non small cell lung cancer

To examine the diagnostic accuracy of positron emission tomography/computed tomography in evaluating the mediastinum of patients with non-small cell lung cancer compared to histopathology results. The prospective study was conducted at the Department of Thoracic Surgery of the Pulmonary Hospital in Zakopane, Poland, from September 2008 to August 2012 and comprised patients with radiologically-suspected lung cancer. All patients underwent histological verification by either mediastinoscopy alone or thoracotomy with mediastinal lymphanedectomy. Computed tomography and positron emission tomography/computed tomography data sets were compared with the results of the histopathology examinations. There were 80 patients in the study. In the diagnosis of mediastinal lymph nodes, computed tomography was able to detect 9[11.25%] true-positive, 17[21.25%] false-positive, 40[50%] true-negative and 14[17.5%] false-negative cases. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the method were found to be 39%, 70% and 61% respectively, while the positive and negative predictive values were 35% and 74%. Positron emission tomography/computed tomography yielded 15[18.75%] true-positive, 12[15%] false-positive, 46[57.5%] true-negative and 7[8.75%] false-negative cases. Sensitivity was 68% while specificity was 79%. The accuracy was 96%, and the positive and negative predictive values were 55% and 87% respectively. Positron emission tomography/computed tomography had higher diagnostic accuracy than computed tomography in assessing mediastinal lymph nodes of patients with non-small cell lung cancer. However, a positive test requires histopathology confirmation