Outcomes of patients with bone metastases from differentiated thyroid cancer

ABSTRACT Objective Bone metastases (BM) from differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) are associated with poor survival rates. Due to the low frequency of this entity, we performed a multicentric retrospective study that aimed to evaluate the presentation, outcome and causes of death in this population. Subjects and methods We reviewed file records from 10 databases. BM were diagnosed by: i) biopsy and/or ii) radioiodine (RAI) bone uptake + elevated thyroglobulin (Tg) levels and/or c) bone uptake of 18-FDG in the PET-CT scan + elevated Tg levels. Results Fifty-two patients with DTC were included (44% male, mean age 54 years); 58% had papillary histology. BM were synchronous with DTC diagnosis in 46% of the participating cases. BM were symptomatic in 65% of the cases. Multiple BM were present in 65% of patients, while simultaneous metastatic disease in additional sites was found in 69%. Ninety-eight percent of patients received treatment for the BM, which included RAI therapy in 42 patients; 30 of them received cumulative RAI doses that were larger than 600 mCi 131I. The mean follow-up after a BM diagnosis was 34 months. The 2- and 5-year survival rates after diagnosis of the first BM were 64% and 38%, respectively. The status on the last evaluation was DTC-related death in 52% of the patients; 26% of them died from direct complications of BM or their treatments. Conclusion BM are usually radioiodine-refractory and are associated with a short overall survival, although most of the patients died of causes not directly related to the BM.

Thyroid nodules in acromegaly / Nódulos tiroideanos na acromegalia

OBJECTIVE: We made a prospective study evaluating the prevalence of thyroid nodular disease in acromegalic patients. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Thyroid ultrasound and ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy were performed when nodules were detected. Nodules were characterized by cytology and histopathology. RESULTS: We found high prevalence of nodular thyroid disorder, 23/34 (67%) in acromegalic patients. High risk and malignant cytology were significantly higher in acromegalic patients than in our non-acromegalic population (25% vs. 9%). Differentiated thyroid carcinoma was present in 11% of the acromegalic patients. CONCLUSIONS: We strongly recommend periodic thyroid evaluation by ultrasound in patients with acromegaly. Fine needle aspiration biopsy should be performed in nodules larger than 10 mm, and in all suspicious nodules, regardless of the size.

OBJETIVO: Realizamos um estudo prospectivo avaliando a prevalência de patologia nodular tireói­dea em 34 pacientes acromegálicos. SUJEITOS E MÉTODOS: Avaliamos os pacientes com ecografia tireóidea e punção biópsia com agulha fina quando se detectavam nódulos. RESULTADOS: Encontramos uma alta prevalência de patologia nodular tireóidea 23/34 (67%) em acromegálicos. A citologia tireóidea de alto risco e maligna foi significativamente mais elevada em pacientes acromegálicos que em uma população não acromegálica (25% vs. 9%). O grupo acromegálico apresentou carcinoma diferenciado de tireoides em 11%. CONCLUSÕES: Recomendamos fortemente a ecografia periódica tireóidea em pacientes acromegálicos. Uma punção biópsia aspirativa com agulha fina deve ser realizada em presença de nódulos tireóideos maiores que 10 mm e daqueles com critérios ecográficos suspeitos de malignidade, independentemente do tamanho deles.

Valoración de la punción biopsia con aguja fina y de la biopsia por congelación en el diagnóstico y tratamiento del nódulo tiroideo / Determine the role of frozen section and fine needle aspiration biopsy of thyroid nodules

Antecedentes: el advenimiento de la PBA ha posibilitado una mejor selección de pacientes portadores de patología tiroidea para la cirugía. Objetivo: determinar el rol de la punción y la biopsia por congelación en el manejo quirúrgico de la patología tiroidea. Lugar de aplicación: Servicio de Cirugía General División A; Servicio de Endocrinología y Servicio de Anatomía Patológica del Hospital de Agudos J.M. Ramos Mejía. Diseño: retrospectivo consecutivo. Método: se evaluó la correlación de los hallazgos de la PBA, la congelación y el estudio histopatológico final en el diagnóstico de la patología tiroidea. Población: se analizaron 541 pacientes estudiados con PBA y congelación operados en el Hospital Ramos Mejía. Resultados: de los 541 operados se diagnosticó cáncer en 163 pacientes (30 por ciento). La PBA diagnosticó 111 que fueron confirmados por la congelación e informó 104 casos como dudosos de los cuales 31 fueron cáncer. Dentro del grupo de los "dudosos" hubo mayor prevalencia de carcinoma en los subgrupos "sospechoso de malignidad" y en las "proliferaciones foliculares de alto grado". Conclusiones: se podría prescindir de la utilización de la biopsia por congelación ante una PBA maligna. En cambio ante una benigna o dudosa consideramos completar con la congelación intraoperatoria. Debido a la diferencia de prevalencia de carcinoma en el grupo de los dudosos justificamos mantener separadas las categorías citológicas: SM (sospechoso de malignidad), PFAG (proliferación folicular de alto grado), PFBG (proliferación folicular de bajo grado), PFH (proliferación folicular de Hürthle)