Peace of mind for patients with differentiated thyroid cancer?

Summary

Differentiated thyroid carcinomas (DTC) have an excellent prognosis, with 10-year overall survival rates over 90%. In addition, DTC patients benefit from their lifelong medical surveillance. The aim of the study was to compare the patients’ overall survival with that of a matched general population. Patients and methods: We have analyzed 1497 consecutive patients with DTC, who underwent radioiodine therapy in Münster, Germany, according to international standards. We classified our patients according to the current 7^th edition of the UICC (Union Internationale Contre le Cancer) classification and we compared the overall survival of the patients with the expected survival based on age and sex of the general population as provided by the Federal Statistical Office, Germany. Results: There were no significant differences in overall survival rates between DTC patients of the cohort in stages I to IVa compared to the expected survival based on age and sex of the general population. However, patients in stage IVc showed a significantly worse overall survival rate using the log-rank test (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: Patients with DTC showed excellent overall survival rates in stages I, II, III and IVa. All patients, except for those in stage IVc (M1 ≥ 45 years), had overall survival rates similar to the general population.

Zusammenfassung

Patienten mit differenziertem Schilddrüsenkarzinom haben eine exzellente Prognose mit 10-Jahres-Überlebensraten über 90%. Darüber hinaus profitieren sie von der lebenslangen medizinischen Nachsorge. Ziel der Studie war es, das Gesamtüberleben der Patienten mit derjenigen der Gesamtbevölkerung zu vergleichen. Patienten, Methode: Es wurden 1497 konsekutive Patienten mit differenziertem Schilddrüsenkarzinom untersucht, die in Münster, Deutschland, eine Radio iodtherapie nach internationalen Standards erhielten. Die Patienten wurden nach der aktuellen 7. Edition der UICC (Union Internationale Contre le Cancer)-Klassifikation eingeteilt. Das Gesamtüberleben der Patienten wurde mit der Lebenserwartung der Gesamtbevölkerung unter Berücksichtigung des Alters und Geschlechts verglichen. Hierzu wurden die Daten des Bundesamtes für Statistik, Deutschland verwandt. Ergebnisse: Es zeigten sich keine signifikanten Unterschiede zwischen den Gesamtüberlebensraten der Patienten mit differenziertem Schilddrüsenkarzinom in den Stadien I bis IVa im Vergleich zur Lebenserwartung der Gesamtbevölkerung unter Berücksichtigung des Alters und Geschlechts. Dagegen hatten Patienten im Stadium IVc eine signifikant schlechtere Gesamtüberlebensrate (p < 0,0001). Schlussfolgerung: Patienten mit differenziertem Schilddrüsenkarzinom in den Stadien I, II, III und IVa zeigten exzellente Gesamtüberlebensraten. Mit Ausnahme der Patienten im Stadium IVc (M1 ≥ 45 Jahre) wiesen alle Patienten Gesamtüberlebensraten auf, die mit der Lebenserwartung der Gesamtbevölkerung vergleichbar waren.

Keywords

Overall survival - expected survival - thyroid cancer

Schlüsselwörter

Überleben - Schilddrüsenkrebs

^* Both authors contributed equally.

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