Prognosis of Multifocal Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

Abstract EN

This study was to investigate the clinical features and therapeutic outcomes of multifocal papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC).

A total of 2,418 papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients had undergone thyroidectomy in one medical center between 1977 and 2010.

There were 483 (20.0%) diagnosed with multifocal PTC.

The percentage of multifocal PTC was higher in PTMC patients (22.0%) than in non-PTMC patients (19.5%).

Demographic and clinical characteristics of PTMC and multifocal PTC in PTC patients were traced.

Multifocal PTC patients presented with smaller tumors at an older age, and a higher percentage underwent total or complete thyroidectomy.

These patients also showed a higher incidence of postoperative disease progression than did unifocal PTC patients.

Comparison of 483 patients with multifocal PTMC and non-PTMC tumors showed a higher incidence of postoperative disease progression in patients with non-PTMC; otherwise, there was no statistical difference in disease-specific and total mortality between these two groups.

In conclusion, the incidence of multifocal PTMC was not lower than that of non-PTMC, and postoperative therapies were necessary for both multifocal PTMC and non-PTMC patients.