Salvage surgery for cervical radioiodine refractory 18F-FDG-PET positive recurrence of papillary thyroid cancer

Purpose Five percent of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer are diagnosed with radioiodine refractory relapse in the course of the disease. For isolated or oligometastatic cervical recurrence, resection or another local treatment is recommended. In this study, the impact of surgical treatment of cervical radioiodine refractory 18F-FDG-PET positive relapse of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) was evaluated. Methods Patients receiving radioiodine therapy between 2005 and 2015 at the University Hospital of Cologne, Germany, for PTC were screened. The subgroup of patients undergoing surgery during the course of disease after recommendation by a multidisciplinary endocrine team for cervical radioiodine refractory 18F-FDG-PET positive recurrence was identified. Demographics, clinic-pathologic characteristics, oncologic treatment, and outcome were analyzed. Results Thirty (3%) of 969 patients with PTC treated with radioiodine therapy at our institution underwent surgery for radioiodine refractory 18F-FDG-PET positive cervical recurrence during the course of the disease. In eight (26.6%) patients, more than one operation was performed. Sixteen (53%) patients received external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) after surgery. Follow-up was on average, 79.2 ± 61.6 months after the last surgical treatment. Biochemical and radiological cure was seen in 12 (40%) patients. Remission was significantly more frequent in younger patients (P = 0.0001) with lymph node rather than soft tissue tumor recurrence (P = 0.004). Conclusions Surgical treatment of radioiodine refractory 18F-FDG-PET positive cervical recurrence led to biochemical and radiological cure in about 40% of patients in this study. Further data are needed concerning risk stratification of potential subgroups benefitting of surgical approach and the possible role of EBRT after repetitive surgery.