Results:
Table 1 shows continuous variables of patient characteristics with
metastatic differentiated thyroid cancers
Of the 32 patients with metastatic differentiated thyroid cancer
available for final analysis, 59% were females (N=19). The median age
of the entire study population was 55 years (17-79 years))
Metastatic sites were identified in the thorax (lungs and mediastinum),
bones (vertebra, femur, skull, clavicle, manubrium sterni and iliac
bones) and brain. Twenty four patients (75%) had single site
metastasis. Metastases were detected at multiple sites in eight patients
(25%). Lung and mediastinal metastases were seen in 56% and bone
metastases were seen in 53% patients either singly or in combination.
One patient had brain metastasis.
Notably, a majority of patients (N=20, 63%) had undergone some form of
treatment before they were referred to the study centre. Six patients
were diagnosed with thyroid cancer after histopathology following
surgery to the spine. Four patients had incomplete surgery on the
thyroid with our without any intervention for the metastatic disease and
one patient had complete surgery for the thyroid but was referred for
the care of metastatic disease. The metastatic site was addressed by
surgery (metastasectomy) in 44% (N=14). The most common intervention
performed was debulking with fixation of the spine which was noted in
15% (N=5). In the remaining 18 patients, the thyroid was ablated with
or without a neck dissection and metastatic disease was addressed using
radioactive iodine. The majority of cases were diagnosed histologically
as papillary thyroid carcinoma (62.5%, N=20).
Table 2 shows categorical variables of patient characteristics with
metastatic differentiated thyroid cancers