ObjectiveIn order to improve the levels of clinical diagnosis and treatment of differentiated thyroid cancer, the research status and progress of blood markers of differentiated thyroid cancer in recent years were reviewed.MethodThe literatures about blood markers and liquid biopsy of differentiated thyroid cancer at home and abroad in recent years were searched and summarized.ResultsThyroglobulin and thyroglobulin antibody were the most commonly used for markers of differentiated thyroid cancer. The application value of blood markers such as microRNA and long non-coding RNA in the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of differentiated thyroid cancer had also been found.ConclusionBecause of the advantages of high specificity, high sensitivity, and no-invasion, blood markers are useful indicators to help improve the diagnosis of thyroid cancer patients and monitor the disease progression and recurrence in the future.
ObjectiveTo understand the role of calcitonin testing for the diagnosis and treatment of medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) as well as recent research progress, so as to provide assistance in the early clinical diagnosis and treatment of MTC and improve patients’ prognosis. MethodThe literatures about the role of calcitonin testing in MTC in recent years were reviewed. ResultsIn recent years, both domestic and international scholars had extensively investigated the role of calcitonin in the early detection of MTC and accurate postoperative prognosis assessment. With respect to early diagnosis, advancements had been made in the three main measurement methods: basal calcitonin, stimulated calcitonin, and calcitonin measurement in the thyroid nodule fine-needle aspiration washout fluid. These developments in calcitonin levels had contributed to improved guidance in surgical treatment and prognosis evaluation. While calcitonin monitoring could inform treatment decisions and improve patients’prognosis, numerous challenges remain to be addressed. ConclusionThe study of calcitonin detection can deepen the understanding of MTC, further research on calcitonin related detection in the future will be of great significance for the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis evaluation of MTC.
ObjectiveTo systematically evaluate the reliability and stability of transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) and conventional open thyroidectomy (COT) in the treatment of differentiated thyroid cancer.MethodsThe clinical studies of TOETVA and COT in the treatment of differentiated thyroid cancer were retrieved from major databases including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Wanfang, and CNKI by computer. The search date ended on March 1, 2020. Two investigators screened the literatures strictly and extracted the data following the pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria, and then used RevMan 5.3 software for meta-analysis.ResultsA total of 7 studies including 1 465 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The results showed: compared with the COT group, the operation time of the TOETVA group was longer [WMD=35.18, P=0.000 1], and the number of lymph node dissections in the central area was larger [WMD=1.42, P=0.000 5]. But the intraoperative blood loss [WMD=–5.32, P=0.39], the length of hospital stay after operation [WMD=0.05, P=0.94], the incidences of transient recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy [OR=0.81, P=0.43], transient hypocalcemia [OR=0.55, P=0.35], permanent hypocalcemia [OR=0.39, P=0.22], permanent recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy [OR=1.34, P=0.73], and hematoma [OR=1.29, P=0.69] were not statistically significant between the two groups.ConclusionsTOETVA has a higher stability. Although the COT has a shorter operation time, the former has a higher central lymph node dissection rate, and there is no scar on the neck after surgery and no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative complications.
ObjectiveTo summarize the relationship between exosome and thyroid diseases.MethodThe literatures reports on exosomes and the physiology, pathology and diseases of thyroid were collected and reviewed.ResultsExosomes were secreted by cells and could be found in various body fluids, which could mediate the normal physiological development of the thyroid gland and play an important role in the progression of Graves’ disease. Exosomes could be used as diagnostic and differential diagnostic biomarkers for thyroid cancer and affect the growth, invasion, and metastasis of thyroid cancer. As a drug carrier for anti-thyroid cancer, exosome had a good targeting ability.ConclusionExosomes play an important role in the development of various diseases of the thyroid gland, which have good application prospects in biomarkers for early diagnosis and prognostic evaluation, as well as targeted drug carriers for thyroid cancer.
ObjectiveTo summarize and analyze the possible association between thyroid diseases and alopecia areata. MethodThe literatures on the relationship between thyroid disease and alopecia areata in recent years were searched and reviewed. ResultsAmong individuals with alopecia areata, the risk of thyroid disease was heightened. They were more susceptible to autoimmune thyroid conditions, often accompanied by thyroid function abnormalities. Moreover, alopecia areata patients face an increased risk of thyroid cancer. However, in patients with thyroid disease, the change of the incidence of alopecia areata was not completely clear. The risk of alopecia areata was increased in patients with autoimmune thyroid disease, and abnormal thyroid function may be one of the potential reasons for the persistence of alopecia areata. ConclusionsAutoimmune thyroid disease and alopecia areata may have a common disease basis. Patients with alopecia areata are at greater risk of autoimmune thyroid disease and thyroid dysfunction. The increased risk of alopecia areata in patients with autoimmune thyroid disease may be related to abnormal thyroid function.
Objective To explore value of multidisciplinary team (MDT) model in diagnosis and treatment of patients with advanced special thyroid cancer who lost chance of operation. Method Two patients with the advanced special thyroid cancer who lost chance of operation were treated by low dose apatinib (250 mg/d) after the MDT discussion. Results One medullary thyroid cancer patient with the compressing of the trachea for mediastinal metastatic lymphadenopathy and inability to lie down underwent the multiple surgical treatment, the therapeutic effect was poor. Then low dose apatinib (250 mg/d) was performed, the patient could supine, breathe smoothly, and move freely, whose life quality was obviously improved, the mediastinal lymph nodes reduced and no serious drug toxicity occurred on month 1 after the treatment. One undifferentiated thyroid cancer patient with the lung metastasis, hemoptysis, and tumor invasion resulted in the inability to lie down and having difficulty in breathing, these symptoms still existed and more pleural effusion occurred after the resection of the invaded trachea. Then low dose apatinib (250 mg/d) was performed, the patient could supine, the pleural effusion disappeared, the hemoptysis stopped, the breathing was smooth, and could do some minor housework, no drug toxicity occurred on month 1 after the treatment. Conclusion After MDT discussion, low dose apatinib in treatment of advanced special thyroid cancer is reliable and safe and has a good short-term effect, which could be used as a new remedy, but long-term effect should be further researched by increasing case samples and a long-term following-up.
ObjectiveExplore the impact of a digital-intelligence-based quality control platform for thyroid cancer on the effectiveness of clinical diagnosis and treatment quality management. MethodsThe digital-intelligence-based quality control platform for thyroid cancer at Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital was launched at the end of July 2022. In its initial phase, six quality control indicators related to the standardized diagnosis and treatment of thyroid cancer were deployed. This study analyzed the changes in these six quality control indicators between January 2022 and November 2023, comparing data before and after the platform’s implementation. ResultsCompared with the period from January to July 2022 (prior to the platform’s launch), the rates of preoperative cytopathological examination (t=–8.490, P<0.001) and postoperative pTNM staging for thyroid cancer patients (t=–3.027, P=0.013) increased from July to November 2023 (one year post-launch). However, the proportion of minimally invasive surgeries among thyroid cancer patients (t=4.085, P=0.002) decreased. The linear regression model results indicated that, following the platform’s launch, there was a gradual increase over time in both the preoperative cytopathological examination rate for thyroid cancer (P=0.001) and the postoperative pTNM staging rate (P=0.049). ConclusionPreliminary results of this study suggest that the thyroid cancer digital-intelligence-based quality control platform developed by our team can effectively enhance the standardized quality control of clinical diagnosis and treatment for thyroid cancer.
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.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the safety and efficacy of lenvatinib as targeted therapy for locally advanced thyroid cancer. MethodsThe data of 17 patients with locally advanced thyroid cancer who received targeted therapy in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Cancer Hospital from September 2021 to June 2023 were prospectively collected and analyzed. ResultsSeventeen patients received lenvatinib for a median of 8 weeks (4–32 weeks), 5 patients achieved partial response, 11 patients achieved stable disease, and 1 patient experienced progressive disease. The objective response and disease control rates were 29.4% (5/17) and 94.1% (16/17) respectively, the median tumor diameter of the target lesion decreased from 43 mm before treatment to 12 mm after treatment. Five patients did not undergo surgery because of tumor progression and their refusal; R0/1 resection was achieved in 11 of the 12 remaining patients (91.7%). All patients suffered from drug-related adverse events, and the commonest drug-related adverse events were hypertension (7/17, 41.2%), diarrhea (6/17, 35.3%), and proteinuria (5/17, 29.4%). There were no major drug-related adverse events. ConclusionPreliminary analysis indicates that lenvatinib is effective and safe for targeted therapy of locally advanced thyroid cancer, with a relatively high rate of R0/1 resection.
The 2025 American Thyroid Association Guidelines for the Management of Differentiated Thyroid Cancer in Adults, supported centrally by evidence-based medical evidence, has introduced systematic updates to the diagnostic pathways, treatment regimens, and follow-up strategies for thyroid cancer. Its content not only covers multidisciplinary fields such as internal medicine, surgery, radiology, and pathology, but also fully incorporates perspectives from patient populations—further enhancing the alignment of the guidelines with clinical practice and achieving comprehensive coverage of the whole-course management for differentiated thyroid cancer. In the field of surgical management, the guidelines focus primarily on four core areas: the scientific definition of thyroid resection scope, the rational planning of lymph node dissection scope, the precise protection of the recurrent laryngeal nerve, and the whole-course preservation of parathyroid function. For these key aspects, the guideline has put forward specific and guiding recommendations based on rigorous evidence-based medical evidence and multidisciplinary team consensus. This article integrates the expert interpretation findings from the 2024 American Thyroid Association annual meeting, providing a prospective organization and summary of the key clinical practice points and basis for updates in its surgical management chapter.