Clinical Analysis of Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma.
- Author:
Hyun Young KIM
1
;
Ki Wook CHUNG
;
Hwal Woong KIM
;
Yeo Kyu YOUN
;
Seung Kun OH
Author Information
1. Department of Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. ykyoun@plaza.snu.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma
- MeSH:
Aged;
Diagnosis;
Humans;
Neck;
Neoplasm Metastasis;
Radiotherapy;
Radiotherapy, Adjuvant;
Retrospective Studies;
Seoul;
Survival Rate;
Thyroid Diseases;
Thyroid Gland*;
Thyroid Neoplasms*
- From:Journal of the Korean Surgical Society
2001;61(2):142-147
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma is characterized by a rapid growing mass of the neck and an early infiltration into the surrounding tissue. Because of its mature expression in elderly patients who have a poor general physical condition, a difficulty in diagnosis and the lack of effective treatment, it is one of the most lethal cancers that occur in human. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinicopathologic character of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma and analyze the prognostic factors affecting the survival rate. METHODS: The history of twenty patients who were diagnosed as having anaplastic thyroid carcinoma at Seoul National University Hospital between 1985 and 1999 were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: The most common symptom was a rapidly enlarging neck mass. Ten (55.5%) of 18 patients had concomitant well differentiated thyroid carcinomas and 5 (27.8%) patients had benign thyroid disease on the basis of the presenting pathologic features. The median survival time was 5.5 months and the 2-year survival rate was 27.3%. Among several factors that were analyzed, a tumor size smaller than 5 cm (p<0.001), the absence of distant metastases at presentation (p=0.020), patients that were selected for curative surgical resection (p=0.002), and postoperative radiotherapy (p=0.003) were associated with prolonged survival time. CONCLUSION: In the selected patients (tumor size<5 cm, the absence of distant metastases at presentation, young age (<55)), curative surgical resection and adjuvant radiotherapy may result in an increased survival time.
