Positron emission tomography (PET) is a highly sensitive and low invasive technology for cancer biological imaging. Integrated PET/computed tomography (PET/CT) cameras combine functional and anatomical information in a synergistic manner that improves diagnostic interpretation. The role of 18F FDG PET/CT in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is well established, particularly in patients presenting with elevated thyroglobulin (Tg) levels and negative radioactive iodine scan. This review presents the evidence supporting the use of 18F FDG PET/CT throughout the diagnosis and management of thyroid cancer, and provides suggestions for its clinical uses.
Objective To explore the progress of diagnosis and treatment for differentiated thyroid carcinoma （DTC） in pregnancy. Methods The literatures on studying the diagnosis and treatment of DTC in pregnancy were reviewed and analyzed retrospectively. Results Radionuclide scanning and radioiodine （131I） administration during pregnancy were contraindicated. Surgery during the second trimester was considered safe. Monitoring of pregnancy must be strict during each trimester if surgery was delayed until after delivery. Conclusions Pregnancy makes the diagnosis and treatment of DTC become more complicated，the diagnosis and treatment of DTC during pregnancy present a challenging situation for the endocrinologists，surgeon，and obstetrician.
【Abstract】ObjectiveTo discuss the value of thyroglobulin (TG) in diagnosis and treatment of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) patients. MethodsLiteratures on measurement and clinical application of serum TG were reviewed. ResultsImmunometric assay (IMA) was adopted by most clinical lab.TG antibody （TGAb） should be measured in the same sample of DTC patient.TG detection before operation is of less value in confirming diagnosis of DTC, but is helpful in differential diagnosis of histopathological type of DTC.TG detection after operation is very important in patients who had undergone total thyroidectomy.Monitoring TG after thyroid hormone withdrawal or recombinant human TSH stimulation is more sensitive to identify tumor recurrence. ConclusionMonitoring TG after total thyroidectomy has great value in followup of DTC patients.
ObjectiveTo explore the safety-related factors for total thyroidectomy in differentiated thyroid carcinoma. MethodsThe clinical data of 72 patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma treated by total thyroidectomy from January 2002 to January 2010 were retrospectively analyzed, the laryngeal recurrent nerve injury and hypoparathyroidism were observed. ResultsThe incidences of hypoparathyroidism and laryngeal recurrent nerve injury were 15.28% （11/72) and 4.17%（3/72）, respectively. The hypoparathyroidism was significantly related to the thyroid reoperation, the lymph nodes metastases of central compartment, or the extraglandular invasion of the primary tumor (Plt;0.05), but not to the dissection of neck lymph nodes (Pgt;0.05). The laryngeal recurrent nerve injury was not relative to those factors (Pgt;0.05). ConclusionThe safetyrelated factors of total thyroidectomy in differentiated thyroid carcinoma include thyroid reoperation, the lymph node metastasis of central compartment, and the extraglandular invasion of the primary tumor.
Objective To investigate the value of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) inhibition therapy in postoperative patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Methods One hundred and six patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma after total or near-total thyroidectomy were divided into two groups: TSH inhibition therapy group and thyroid hormone replacement therapy group. The non-recurrence and (or) non-metastasis rate in two groups was analyzed retrospectively by Wilcoxon statistical analysis. Results The non-recurrence and (or) non-metastasis rate of 3-， 5- and 10-year in TSH inhibition therapy group were 98.31%， 92.41% and 75.45% respectively， and were higher than those (93.57%， 84.18% and 52.06% respectively) in thyroid hormone replacement therapy group （P=0.046 5）. Conclusion TSH inhibition therapy after total or near-total thyroidectomy may be an essential treatment for differentiated thyroid carcinoma patients.
ObjectiveTo analyze the current research status of radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy for differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) in the past 10 years so as to understand the research hotspots and future development in this field through a bibliometric visualization analysis. MethodsThe literature relevant DTC RAI therapy published from 2014 to 2023 was screened using the Web of Science database. The publication time, country, institution, author, keywords, and other content of literature were analyzed, and the multidimensional scientific research network was constructed, and the visualization analysis was performed using RStudio and Flourish software. ResultsA total of 2 018 studies related to DTC RAI therapy were screened out from the publications from 2014 to 2023, with a fluctuating trend of increasing publication numbers. The publication numbers in China ranked first (422 articles), followed by the United States (374 articles) and Italy (182 articles). In terms of international cooperation, the United States ranked first with the most leading collaborations (289 times), and the top 3 countries in terms of cooperation with the United States were Italy (33 times), China (21 times), and France (21 times). China ranked fifth in leading cooperation, relatively less (52 times), with the main collaborators being Japan (7 times), South Korea (6 times), and Australia (5 times). Half of the top 6 institutions in terms of publication numbers were from the United States, with the top 3 being Unicancer from France (135 articles), Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center from the United States (134 articles), and the UT MD Anderson Cancer Center from the United States (89 articles). Beijing Union Medical College Hospital and Shanghai Jiao Tong University ranked 19th and 23rd, respectively, with article counts of 46 and 44 articles. Tuttle RM, an author from the United States, ranked first in both publication numbers and contribution, with a total of 48 articles published from 2014 to 2023. There were two authors, Lin YS and Tan J, from China who had made it into the top 10 in terms of publication numbers, with 32 and 25 publications, respectively. The trend topics showed the evolution of hot topics, covering from the relation between urinary iodine and DTC, lymph node metastasis, to innovative research and prognosis assessment, as well as in-depth exploration of new therapies for iodine-refractory DTC. The co-occurrence and clustering of keywords included 4 aspects, namely, the standardized management of DTC, related contents during the peri-treatment period, papillary thyroid carcinoma, and the exploration of targeted therapy for iodine-refractory DTC. ConclusionsIn recent years, the research focus in the field of DTC RAI therapy has shifted from technical applications to management concepts, which has also promoted the improvement of treatment modes and made patients’ treatment plans increasingly personalized and precise. Future research will focus on precision medicine, individualized treatment, the combination of targeted therapy and immunotherapy, resistance mechanisms to treatment, and long-term management after treatment, aiming to improve patients’ treatment outcomes and quality of life and achieve a revolutionary breakthrough in treatment.
Objective To analyze clinical features of reoperation patients with differentiated thyroid cancer, and to explore reason, surgical pattern and therapeutic effectiveness of reoperation. Method The clinical data of 80 patients with differentiated thyroid cancer underwent reoperation from January 2012 to June 2016 in Peking Union Medical College Hospital were analyzed retrospectively. Results ① Eighty (5.37%) patients with differentiated thyroid cancer underwent reoperation were identified from a total of 1 491 patients with thyroid cancer in our treatment team. Twenty-seven cases were males, 53 cases were females. The male to female ratio was 1∶1.96. The age was (44±13) years with a range from 14 to 66 years. The median time between reoperation and the first operation was 16.8 months with a range from 8 days to 17 years. ② Thirteen cases underwent reoperation because of uncertain frozen sections, and the reoperation style was residual lobectomy and selective lymph node dissection. Sixty-seven cases underwent reoperation because of local recurrence or metastasis, 15 of them accepted residual lobectomy and selective lymph node dissection while the other 52 accepted selective lymph node dissection. ③ The rate of residual in thyroid cancer confirmed by postoperative pathology was 18.8% (15/80). The rate of cervical lymph node metastasis was 63.8% (51/80). The temporary laryngeal recurrent nerve injury occured in 6 cases, the temporary hypocalcemia occured in 9 cases, and the lymphorrhagia occured in 2 cases. ④ The hospitalization time was (6.50±0.97) d with a range from 3 to10 d, the time of drainage tube remove was (2.41 ±0.95) d with a range from 2 to 7 d. Seventy-three cases were followed up from 3 to 58 months with (32±18) months, 4 of them underwent operation once again because of local recurrence, no distant metastasis or death happened. ⑤ The proportion of male patients in reoperation patients was significantly higher than that of the first operation patients (P<0.05). The proportion of patients aged <45 years, the average hospitalization time, the average time of drainage tube remove, and the postoperative complications rate had no significant differences between the patients with the first operation and the patients with reoperation (P>0.05). Conclusions For reoperation patients, proportion of male patients is higher. Reoperation is proper treatment for patients with residual lobe or local recurrence or metastasis for differentiated thyroid cancer. Serious complications could be avoided by suitable surgical pattern and careful dissection during operation. Residual lobectomy and selective lymph node dissection are suggested for reoperation.
The administration of radioactive iodine-131 (131I) is one of the representative traditional targeted therapy for post-surgical differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). As DTC tumor cells largely preserve the capability of thyroid follicular epithelial cells, including the expression of the sodium iodide symporter (NIS), 131I can be selectively internalized by these cells once introduced into the body. The simultaneous emitting of both γ-ray and β-ray from 131I featured its unique theranostic value in managing DTC, through γ-ray to detect the residual thyroid tissue and DTC lesions via nuclear medical imaging, while through β-ray to yield the precise tumoricidal effect as well as remnant thyroid ablation. This theranostic potential of 131I significantly enhances progression-free survival, disease-specific survival, and overall survival in DTC patients with residual/recurrent/metastatic lesions as long as they are capable of iodine uptake. Nevertheless, the clinical application of 131I, despite its “precise” treatment philosophy, remains far from precision medicine while clinical practice, which urges further refinement in pre-treatment assessment, dosage tailoring, and post-treatment efficacy evaluation to fully capitalize on its theranostic benefits. Recently, with the accumulation of evidence-based medical data, 131I treatment has evolved with respect to treatment principles, pre-treatment risk stratification, post-treatment dynamic assessment, and comprehensive patient management, with an aim to optimize the diagnostic and therapeutic precision of 131I. Here we briefly review and update the recent advance on 131I management on DTC.