ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of cancer in Bethesda III/IV thyroid nodules is challenging as fine-needle aspiration (FNA) has limitations, and these cases usually require diagnostic surgery. As approximately 77% of these nodules are not malignant, a diagnostic test accurately identifying benign thyroid nodules can reduce "potentially unnecessary" surgery rates. We have previously reported the development and validation of a microRNA-based thyroid classifier (mir-THYpe) with high sensitivity and specificity, which could be performed directly from FNA smear slides. We sought to evaluate the performance of this test in real-world clinical routine to support clinical decisions and to reduce surgery rates. METHODS: We designed a real-world, prospective, multicentre study. Molecular tests were performed with FNA samples prepared at 128 cytopathology laboratories. Patients were followed-up from March 2018 until surgery or until March 2020 (patients with no indication for surgery). The final diagnosis of thyroid tissue samples was retrieved from postsurgical anatomopathological reports. FINDINGS: A total of 435 patients (440 nodules) classified as Bethesda III/IV were followed-up. The rate of avoided surgeries was 52·5% for all surgeries and 74·6% for "potentially unnecessary" surgeries. The test achieved 89·3% sensitivity, 81·65% specificity, 66·2% positive predictive value, and 95% negative predictive value. The test supported 92·3% of clinical decisions. INTERPRETATION: The reported data demonstrate that the use of the microRNA-based classifier in the real-world can reduce the rate of thyroid surgeries with robust performance and support clinical decision-making. FUNDING: The São Paulo Research-Foundation (FAPESP) and Onkos.
Subject(s)
Decision Support Systems, Clinical , MicroRNAs , Thyroid Neoplasms , Thyroid Nodule , Brazil , Humans , MicroRNAs/genetics , Prospective Studies , Retrospective Studies , Thyroid Neoplasms/diagnosis , Thyroid Neoplasms/genetics , Thyroid Neoplasms/surgery , Thyroid Nodule/diagnosis , Thyroid Nodule/genetics , Thyroid Nodule/pathologyABSTRACT
ABSTRACT Lesions involving adipose tissue and the thyroid gland are usually rare. In the present report, adipose metaplasia is associated with Hashimoto's thyroiditis with nodular hyperplasia and oncocytic adenoma in a 40-years-old female patient, which is one of the first reported cases of this association. The main clinical finding is the diffuse goiter, and the differential diagnosis must be performed to exclude the possibility of malignancies. The treatment is performed through total thyroidectomy. Thus, it is important the physicians be aware of this pathology with a view to a more effective clinical reasoning and to exclude more serious possibilities.
RESUMO Lesões que envolvem tecido adiposo e glândula tireoide costumam ser raros. No presente relato, a metaplasia adiposa associou-se à tireoidite de Hashimoto com hiperplasia nodular e adenoma de células oncocíticas em uma paciente de 40 anos, sexo feminino, sendo um dos primeiros casos relatados dessa associação. O principal achado clínico é o bócio difuso, e o diagnóstico diferencial deve ser realizado com o intuito de excluir malignidades. O tratamento é feito por meio de tireoidectomia total. Dessa forma, é importante que o médico conheça essa patologia a fim de um raciocínio clínico mais eficaz, excluindo possibilidades mais graves.
