This study evaluated the impact of chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis (CLT) on clinicopathological parameters, prognostic outcome and initial treatment responses in patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC).
A retrospective review was made of 1409 patients with PTC, comprising 443 pathology proven PTC patients with CLT and 447 PTC patients without CLT.
The median follow-up time was 58 (8-380) months and the median age at the time of diagnosis was 43 years. The diagnosis age was significantly lower in patients with CLT (42 vs. 45 years, p:0.001). The preoperative TSH level was found to be significantly higher in CLT patients (1.71 mIU/L vs. 1.28 mIU/L, p0.05).
The results of the present study demonstrated that coexistence of PTC and CLT is very frequent. It was found that patients with PTC and CLT coexistence were diagnosed at an earlier age and the TSH level was higher. Contrary to previous studies, no positive effect of CLT and PTC combination was detected on any clinicopathological factor. In addition, lymphovascular and perineural invasion, which had negative effects on prognosis, was more common in the CLT group.

Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Inc.

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