Prognostic factors in papillary carcinoma of the thyroid

Article Abstract:

Within any one organ, a variety of types of cancer may occur, and therefore a pathologist might never refer to ''thyroid cancer'' but would specify some type, such as papillary carcinoma or follicular cancer. Such distinctions are far from trivial, since the different forms of cancer can have different prognoses and treatments. To evaluate the factors affecting the disease course of papillary carcinoma of the thyroid, the cases of 119 patients were reviewed. Follow-up for these patients ranged from one to 30 years. The tabulation of the cases revealed that the ratio of women to men among the patients was 3.4 to 1. However, the rate of cancer recurrence was higher among the men than among the women. All 119 patients were treated surgically, and 81.5 percent had no evidence of disease at the time of the study, although it should be mentioned that 30.9 percent of these patients had been followed less than five years. Unlike some cancers, papillary carcinoma of the thyroid can recur after a long delay; among the present cases, the average delay until recurrence was 4.5 years. The most important prognostic factors were found to be different for men and women. Among women, age was an important factor, and women over 45 were more likely to experience cancer recurrence than were those under 45. Similarly, cancer recurrence was more likely among women when the original tumor was greater than three centimeters in size and when the cancer was affecting the lymphatic system. Among men, recurrence was more common among those who had evidence of metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis. Since the majority of the patients in the present series of cases were women, confidence may be placed in the prognostic factors for women. Since fewer men were among the patients, the prognostic factors for this group remain to be confirmed in a study with a larger number of male patients. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Statistics, Cancer recurrence, Thyroid cancer

---

Soft tissue sarcoma and occupational exposures

Article Abstract:

In the 1970s, a study of Swedish railroad workers engaged in using herbicides to kill weeds indicated an increased risk of soft tissue cancer. Although the chlorinated phenoxy compounds used in the herbicides were implicated as carcinogens, other studies of agricultural workers, forestry workers, and pesticide applicators failed to confirm this association. In a case-controlled study, questionnaires were sent to 96 patients with soft tissue cancer, 450 randomly selected controls, and 200 patients with unrelated cancers. It was found that the soft tissue cancer patients were more likely to have engaged in gardening. The odds ratio for gardening was 4.1. Increased odds ratios were also found for railroad workers, some construction workers, and some chemical factory workers. These findings seems to substantiate the original observation that chlorophenols and chlorinated phenoxy compounds may play a role in the etiology of soft tissue cancer. However, it is unclear why the odds ratio for the gardeners should be so much higher than that of other occupations which, in principle, should have equal risk. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Health aspects, Research, Causes of, Physiological aspects, Carcinogens, Herbicides, Sarcoma, Organochlorine compounds, Organic chlorine compounds, Industrial toxicology

---

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: Primary carcinoma of the upper urinary tract: effect of primary and secondary therapy on survival. Analysis of bladder carcinoma by subsite: cystoscopic location may have prognostic value
• Abstracts: Spontaneous regression of hepatocellular carcinoma. Prognostic factors in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma with transcatheter arterial embolization and arterial infusion
• Abstracts: Cautionary note on the use of empiric ceftriaxone for suspected bacteremia. Bacteremia in an ambulatory setting: improved outcome in children treated with antibiotics
• Abstracts: Gastric lavage in patients with gastrointestinal hemorrhage: yea or nay? Gastrointestinal tract hemorrhage: the value of a nasogastric aspirate
• Abstracts: Current status and future goals of the pharmacologic reduction of portal hypertension. Evaluation of patients with portal hypertension

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.