Differentiated thyroid cancer in children and adolescents: Long term outcome and risk factors for persistent disease

Giulia Sapuppo, Dana Hartl, Brice Fresneau, Julien Hadoux, Ingrid Breuskin, Eric Baudin, Charlotte Rigaud, Joanne Guerlain, Abir Al Ghuzlan, Sophie Leboulleux, Martin Schlumberger, Livia Lamartina

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    Abstract

    Background: Pediatric differentiated thyroid cancer (P-DTC) frequently presents with advanced disease. The study aim was to evaluate the outcome of P-DTC and a modified 2015 American Thyroid Association risk classification (ATA-R). Methods: A retrospective study of consecutive P-DTC patients was performed. The ATA-R for P-DTC was used with a cut-off of ≤ 5 N1a for low-risk. The outcome could be excellent response (ER) (thyroglobulin < 1 ng/mL and no evidence of disease (EoD) at imaging), biochemical incomplete response (BIR) (thyroglobulin ≥ 1 ng/mL and no EoD at imaging) or structural incomplete response (SIR) (EoD at imaging). Results: We studied 260 P-DTC (70% females; median age at diagnosis 14 years; 93% total thyroidectomy and 82% lymph node dissection). The ATA-R was low in 30% cases, intermediate in 15% and high in 55%, including 31.5% with distant metastases. Radioiodine treatment was administered in 218 (83.8%), and further radioiodine and surgery was performed in 113 (52%) and 76 (29%) patients, respectively. After a median follow-up of 8.2 years, the outcome was ER in 193 (74.3%), BIR in 17 (6.5%) and SIR in 50 (19.2%). Independent predictors of SIR or BIR at first and last visits were ATA-R intermediate or high. Conclusion: P-DTC has an excellent prognosis. Modified ATA-R is a useful prognostic tool in P-DTC to guide management.

    Original languageEnglish
    Article number3732
    JournalCancers
    Volume13
    Issue number15
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Aug 2021

    Keywords

    • Childhood thyroid cancer
    • Children
    • Ongoing risk stratification
    • Persistent disease
    • Response to treatment
    • Thyroid cancer

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