Thyroid Cancer

CHICAGO — Molecular abnormalities in radioactive iodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer can vary between the primary tumor and metastatic site, according to results of a pilot study presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Thyroid Association.

CHICAGO — From 2000 to 2012, men with thyroid cancer and individuals with larger thyroid tumors experienced greater cancer-related mortality, and adults were diagnosed with thyroid cancers of all types at higher rates, according to findings presented at the annual meeting of the American Thyroid Association.

Thyroid cancer is among the most curable types of cancer, with relative survival rates close to 100% for localized and regional tumors. Incidence of the malignancy has increased rapidly, with about 52,000 new cases diagnosed each year in the United States, according to American Cancer Society data. Fine-needle aspiration, which is the current standard in thyroid cancer diagnostics, yields inconclusive results in about one of every five cases. In these cases, patients often undergo a follow-up genetic test, which is prone to false-positive results. This may prompt surgical intervention, which can lead to lifetime hormone replacement therapy and other repercussions and ultimately may prove unnecessary. FNA [fine-needle aspiration] samples based on cytology is very challenging, and thyroid surgery may be required for the final diagnosis,” Jialing Zhang, PhD, research associate at The University of Texas at Austin, said in an interview with HemOnc Today. “However, in the majority of these surgical cases, the lesion is found to be benign on final histopathology, and the diagnostic surgery was therefore possibly unnecessary.”

Attendees heading to this year’s annual meeting of the American Thyroid Association can expect to learn about the latest advances in thyroidology while taking part in educational, networking and professional development opportunities that foster collaboration and discussion of cutting-edge research.

Radioactive iodine treatment following a thyroidectomy was not associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes when conception occurred 6 months or longer after treatment, according to study results published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Patients with thyroid cancer who opt for maximal vs. minimal surveillance after being declared disease-free consume a greater amount of health care resources without clear evidence of improved outcomes, according to results of a retrospective study published in Cancer.

Patients with noncancerous thyroid nodules may have a new treatment option as Mount Sinai West introduced a radiofrequency ablation procedure in August, according to a press release.

Chinese adults with differentiated thyroid cancer are more likely to have overweight or obesity vs. matched controls without thyroid disease, with a greater risk observed among younger adults, according to findings published in Clinical Endocrinology.

Children with differentiated thyroid cancer may be more likely to develop lymph node metastasis when microscopic extrathyroidal extension, or microETE, is present, according to findings published in Thyroid.

Each month Endocrine Today reporters delve deep into a topic of current interest. These longform cover stories provide background and insights from leading researchers and clinicians. All of these features can be found under the opinion tab above and at the links below. Stories published so far in 2019 include emerging alternatives in thyroid cancer treatment, promising developments in beta-cell regeneration, questions about vitamin D’s effectiveness, and more.