Surgical treatment of papillary thyroid cancer diagnosed during pregnancy: a retrospective, single-center, case-control study
10.4174/astr.2025.109.6.367
- Author:
Tae Hee KIM
1
;
Moon Suk CHOI
;
Shin-Young PARK
;
Sun Min LEE
;
Soo-Young LEE
;
Myeong Ho SHIN
;
Hilal HWANG
;
Yuekun YIN
;
Jin Wook YI
Author Information
1. Department of Surgery, Inha University Hospital, Incheon, Korea
- Publication Type:ORIGINAL ARTICLE
- From:Annals of Surgical Treatment and Research
2025;109(6):367-376
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Purpose:Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), a common malignancy among women of reproductive age, is increasingly common during pregnancy because of routine prenatal imaging. However, the optimal timing for surgical treatment remains controversial. This study aimed to assess the safety and practicality of performing thyroid surgery during pregnancy through a comparative analysis of perioperative and pathological outcomes between pregnant and nonpregnant women.
Methods:We conducted a retrospective case-control study of 100 female patients aged 20–39 years who underwent thyroid surgery for PTC between January 2019 and December 2024. Patients were grouped into pregnant (n = 14) and nonpregnant (n = 86) cohorts. Clinical, surgical, and pathological data were compared.
Results:Most pregnant patients underwent surgery during the second trimester. The operative duration was significantly shorter in the pregnant group than in the nonpregnant group (71.4 ± 26.35 minutes vs. 87.2 ± 5.17 minutes, P = 0.025), and there was a trend towards a lower drain volume on postoperative day 1 (25.2 ± 15.23 mL vs. 32.7 ± 0.18 mL, P = 0.077).No significant differences were observed in terms of complication rates. Despite a higher frequency of extrathyroidal extension (P = 0.003) and advanced T stage (P = 0.038) in the pregnant group, the surgical outcomes were favorable. One neonate experienced mild intraventricular hemorrhage that resolved without sequelae.
Conclusion:Thyroid surgery during pregnancy, particularly in the second trimester, appears feasible in selected patients.Given the small sample and retrospective nature of this study, larger prospective studies are needed to validate these findings.
