ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the clinical presentation of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) has prognostic significance. METHODS: Retrospective evaluation was carried out of sequential, primary presentation, >1 cm diameter, PTC cases treated at a single center. PTC cases were grouped into 3 groups: (1) incidental detection by imaging, (2) incidental detection by physical examination, and (3) detection because of complaints related to a thyroid mass. The MACIS (metastasis, age, completeness of resection, invasion, and size) system was used to determine cancer prognosis for each group. RESULTS: Of the 168 PTC cases, 28 patients (17%) were in group 1, 60 patients (36%) were in group 2, and 80 patients (47%) were in group 3. Overall, 53% of differentiated thyroid cancers were detected incidentally. The difference in the proportion of patients in each MACIS score groups among the 3 clinical presentation categories, and for each component of the MACIS score, was not statistically significant (P = .36). CONCLUSION: The manner in which PTC initially clinically presents has no relationship with cancer prognosis.
