The effect of clinical and pathological characteristics on central neck metastasis in early stage papillary thyroid carcinomas
Kerem Kökoğlu1, Sedat Çağlı2, Özlem Canöz3, İmdat Yüce2, Deniz Avcı4
1Develi Devlet Hastanei, Kulak Burun Boğaz Kliniği, Kayseri, Türkiye
2Erciyes Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Kulak Burun Boğaz Anabilim Dalı, Kaysei, Türkiye
3Erciyes Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Patoloji Anabilim Dalı, Kayseri, Türkiye
4Patnos Devlet Hastanesi, Kulak Burun Boğaz Kliniği, Ağrı, Türkiye
Keywords: BRAF mutation, lymphocyte, platelet, thyroid cancer.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the relationship between clinical and pathological characteristics and central neck metastasis in early stage papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).
METHODS: The retrospective study included 50 patients (11 males, 39 females; mean age 42.9 years; range, 12 to 77 years). Patients were divided into two groups according to pathology results as metastasis positive (n=24) and metastasis negative (n=26). Clinical and pathological characteristics of both groups were compared statistically. BRAF mutation was studied in patients’ deparaffinized tissues.
RESULTS: There was no difference between both groups in terms of gender, mean age, risky age, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, platelet/lymphocyte ratio, mean platelet volume, mean tumor size, formation of capsule, or lymphocytic thyroiditis. There were significant differences in terms of histological subtype, multicentricity and capsular invasion. BRAF mutation was studied with polymerase chain reaction and appropriate band could be obtained in only 19 patients. BRAF mutation was positive in 11 of these. Nine of the 11 patients were in metastasis positive group. BRAF mutation was statistically more in metastasis positive group.
CONCLUSION: If a PTC is larger than 20 mm, non-classical variant, multicentric, and has BRAF mutation, it has higher risk for central metastasis. Close follow-up of patients with such characteristics is advised if they were not performed neck dissection. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed in this area.