Clinicopathological Relevance between Body Mass Index and Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma / 대한내분비외과학회지

PURPOSE: Obesity is a known risk factor for several cancers, including breast, colon, esophagus, kidney, uterus, and thyroid. Recent studies have reported that higher body mass index (BMI) is also associated with more advanced stage. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinicopathological relevance between BMI and papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). METHODS: A total of 798 patients surgically treated for PTC from January 2006 to June 2010 were included in this study. Medical records and pathologic reports were reviewed retrospectively. According to BMI, patients were divided into four groups: underweight (3.1%), normal (57.3%), overweight (31.6%), and obese (8.0%). Clinicopathological factors were analyzed and compared between normal and other groups. RESULTS: According to the results, 709 patients were women (89.0%) and mean age was 48.5 years; mean follow-up period was 1,721+/-464.2 days. In comparison between the normal and underweight groups, there was significantly more extra-thyroidal invasion [Odds ratio (OR) 3.923, P=0.006] in the underweight group. In the obese group, tumor size was significantly larger (OR 1.794, P=0.007). However, there was no significant difference between the normal and overweight group. CONCLUSION: In the obese group, tumor size was the only clinical significant factor between high BMI and PTC. Interestingly, more extra-thyroidal invasion was seen in the underweight group. To confirm this result, further studies with long-term follow-up and more patients are required.

The Predictive Value of Serum Parathyroid Hormone Levels for the Occurrence of Hypocalcemia Following Total Thyroidectomy / 대한내분비외과학회지

PURPOSE: The aim of study was to determine the cut-off value of serum parathyroid hormone levels with a predictive value for the occurrence of clinical hypocalcemia following total thyroidectomy. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review, of 150 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy for papillary thyroid carcinoma from January 2010 to July 2010. We measured the serum levels of parathyroid hormone and phosphate within 18~24 hours postoperatively. The serum levels of ionized calcium were measured immediately and within 18~24 hours postoperatively. We also determined the cut-off value, sensitivity and specificity of serum levels of parathyroid hormone, ionized calcium, and phosphate with a predictive value for the occurrence of clinical hypocalcemia. RESULTS: Serum levels of parathyroid hormone were 2.0±1.7 pg/ml in the clinical hypocalcemia group, 9.9±10.7 pg/ml in the asymptomatic hypocalcemia group, and 15.3±10.7 pg/ml in the normal control group (P<0.001). Serum levels of ionized calcium were also significantly lower in the clinical hypocalcemia group (0.92±0.16 mmol/L) compared with the normal control group (P=0.002). On the other hand, serum levels of phosphate were significantly higher in the clinical hypocalcemia group (P=0.009). The cut-off value of serum parathyroid hormone levels for the prediction of clinical hypocalcemia was 4.5 pg/ml, where the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 87.5%, 63.4%, 89.3% and 59%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Serum parathyroid hormone levels following total thyroidectomy are the most powerful predictive factors for the occurrence of clinical hypocalcemia. Our results show that the incidence of clinical hypocalcemia is relatively higher at postoperative serum levels of parathyroid hormone ≤4.5 pg/ml.

Scoring of prognostic factors that influence long-term survival in patients with hepatic metastasis of colorectal cancer

BACKGROUNDS/AIMS: To find independent predictors that affect the survival in patients with hepatic metastasis of colorectal cancer after surgery and to devise a risk scoring system. METHODS: Among 150 patients who underwent hepatic resection after diagnosis of colorectal cancer with hepatic metastasis between March 1994 and February 2009, we analyzed clinical, pathologic and outcome data retrospectively. RESULTS: The 1-year survival rate was 83%, and the 5-year survival rate was 35%. Nine factors were found to be independent predictors of adverse outcome by univariate analysis: stage of primary tumor, CA19-9 >36 U/ml, extrahepatic disease, distribution of the hepatic tumor, number of hepatic tumors >3, largest hepatic tumor >5 cm, total size >10 cm, CEA >10 ng/ml, and metachronous cancer. The last two of these criteria were also significant risk factors on multivariate analysis. When these criteria were used as a risk scoring system, assigning one point for each criterion and dividing the cases into A, B and C groups, the total score was highly predictive of outcomes (p<0.001). No patients in group C (6 to 9 points) were long-term survivors. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term outcome can be predicted from nine criteria that are readily available for all patients. Patients meeting up to two criteria (group A) are more likely to have a favorable outcome compared to the three or over (groups B and C). This scoring system may offer an easy, rapid, and reliable prognostic indicator of survival outcome after hepatic resection in patients with hepatic metastasis from colorectal cancer.