ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The management of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) in high-risk patients is well-standardized. However, this is not the case for low-risk patients. Filipinos show a high incidence of recurrence of thyroid cancer. Thus, the identification of risk factors for recurrence in this population could potentially identify individuals for whom radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy might be beneficial. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of adult Filipinos with low-risk PTC who underwent near-total or total thyroidectomy at the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine risk factors for recurrence. RESULTS: Recurrence was documented in 51/145 of patients (35.17%) included in this study. Possible risk factors such as age, sex, family history, smoking history, tumor size, multifocality, prophylactic lymph node dissection, initial thyroglobulin (Tg) level, initial anti-thyroglobulin (anti-Tg) antibody concentration, suppression of thyroid stimulating hormone production, and RAI therapy were analyzed. Multivariate analysis revealed that a tumor diameter 2 to 4 cm (odds ratio [OR], 9.17; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.62 to 51.88; P=0.012), a tumor diameter >4 cm (OR, 16.46; 95% CI, 1.14 to 237.31; P=0.04), and a family history of PTC (OR, 67.27; 95% CI, 2.03 to 2228.96; P=0.018) were significant predictors of recurrence. In addition, RAI therapy (OR, 0.026; 95% CI, 0.01 to 0.023; P≤0.005), an initial Tg level ≤2 ng/mL (OR, 0.049; 95% CI, 0.01 to 0.23; P≤0.005), and an anti-Tg antibody level ≤50 U/mL (OR, 0.087; 95% CI, 0.011 to 0.67; P=0.019) were significant protective factors. CONCLUSION: A tumor diameter ≥2 cm and a family history of PTC are significant predictors of recurrence. RAI therapy and low initial titers of Tg and anti-Tg antibody are significant protective factors against disease recurrence among low-risk PTC patients.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is a rare type of thyroid malignancy and one of the most aggressive solid tumors, responsible for between 14% and 50% of the total annual mortality associated with thyroid cancer. METHODS: A retrospective study was made of all ATC cases diagnosed by biopsy in the Philippine General Hospital between 2008 and 2013. RESULTS: A total of 15 patients were identified, with a median age at diagnosis of 63 years. All tumors were at least 6 cm in size upon diagnosis. All patients had a previous history of thyroid pathology, presenting with an average duration of 11 years. Eleven patients presented with cervical lymphadenopathies, whereas seven exhibited signs of distant metastases, for which the lungs appeared to be the most common site. More than 70% of the patients presented with a rapidly growing neck mass, leading to airway obstruction. Only three patients were treated using curative surgery; the majority received palliative and supportive forms of treatment. In addition, only three patients were offered radiotherapy. Chemotherapy was not offered to any patient. Only two patients were confirmed to still be alive during the study period. The median survival time for the other patients was 3 months; in the majority of cases the patient died within the first year following diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Our experience with ATC demonstrated concordance with other institutions with respect to current clinical profile, presentation, and prognosis. An absence of distant metastases and lymph node involvement was associated with improved survival outcomes, whereas age at diagnosis and tumor size did not affect survival. Curative surgery offers the most effective means of prolonging survival. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy in combination with surgery represents a promising treatment strategy.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Thyroid nodules may harbor cancer in 5% to 15% of cases. Specific clinical and sonographic features predictive of malignancy have been investigated in various populations, but due to differences in epidemiology, risk factors and iodine nutrition status, these predictors may not be valid in the Philippines. This study determined the clinicopathological, biochemical, and sonographic features of thyroid nodules predictive of malignancy among adult Filipino patients at the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH). METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of Filipino patients ≥19 years of age who underwent thyroid surgery in UP-PGH from 2008 to 2011. RESULTS: A total of 837 of 1,670 patients (50.1%) were enrolled in the study, which included 417 benign and 420 malignant tumors. The mean age at diagnosis was 38±11 years, with female predominance. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the presence of a hard or firm nodule (odds ratio [OR], 58.8, P<0.001; OR, 12.8, P<0.001), presence of microcalcifications (OR, 11.1; P<0.001), irregular margins on ultrasound (OR, 4.5; P<0.001), and absence of associated symptoms (OR, 2.3; P<0.002) increased significantly the likelihood of thyroid malignancy. CONCLUSION: Similar to international data, the absence of associated symptoms, firm to hard thyroid nodules, and the presence of microcalcifications and irregular margins were significant predictors of thyroid malignancy.
ABSTRACT
A widely used method in monitoring glycemic status of ICU patients is point-of-care (POC) monitoring devices. A possible limitation to this method is altered peripheral blood flow in patients in shock, which may result in over/underestimations of their true glycemic status. This study aims to determine the accuracy of blood glucose measurements with a POC meter compared to laboratory methods in critically ill patients in shock. POC blood glucose was measured with a glucose-1-dehydrogenase-based reflectometric meter. The reference method was venous plasma glucose measured by a clinical chemistry analyzer (glucose oxidase-based). Outcomes assessed were concordance to ISO 15197:2003 minimum accuracy criteria for glucose meters, bias in glucose measurements obtained by the 2 methods using Bland-Altman analysis, and clinical accuracy through modified error grid analysis. A total of 186 paired glucose measurements were obtained. ISO 2003 accuracy criteria were met in 95.7% and 79.8% of POC glucose values in the normotensive and hypotensive group, respectively. Mean bias for the normotensive group was -12.4 mg/dL, while mean bias in the hypotensive group was -34.9 mg/dL. POC glucose measurements within the target zone for clinical accuracy were 90.2% and 79.8% for the normotensive and hypotensive group, respectively. POC blood glucose measurements were significantly less accurate in the hypotensive subgroup of ICU patients compared to the normotensive group. We recommend a lower threshold in confirming POC blood glucose with a central laboratory method if clinically incompatible. In light of recently updated accuracy standards, we also recommend alternative methods of glucose monitoring for the ICU population as a whole regardless of blood pressure status.
Subject(s)
Blood Glucose/analysis , Point-of-Care Systems/standards , Shock/blood , Critical Illness , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Male , Middle AgedABSTRACT
This case is of a 39-year-old Filipino woman who within 2 months developed, Cushing's features she had no known comorbidities and no history of steroid intake. The patient also presented with hyperpigmentation of knuckles and toes, metabolic alkalosis and persistent hypokalaemia noted as proximal muscle weakness. The patient was referred to our institution for acutely worsening behavioural and psychiatric changes. Work-up for endogenous Cushing's syndrome revealed a significant adrenocorticotropic hormone production from an ectopic source. Further imaging was requested to locate the tumour, but the patient eventually succumbed to the drastic complications of hypercortisolism. On autopsy, the patient was found to have an ectopic well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumour located at the pancreatic head with metastasis to the right hepatic lobe.
