Predictive Values of Inflammation-Related Markers and Thyroid Function in Pediatric Thyroid Cancer Patients

Few researchers have studied the diagnostic value of inflammation-related hematological indexes of pediatric thyroid carcinoma exclusively. Whether thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) is an independent risk factor for pediatric thyroid cancer is still controversial. To assess the correlativity and predictive values of inflammation-related markers and thyroid function in pediatric thyroid cancer patients, we collected a total of 270 children with thyroid nodules for two consecutive years. Clinical data including age, gender, thyroid function, inflammation indexes, and clinical pathologic finding were collected and analyzed. The above-mentioned data were compared between the benign group and the malignant group, followed by the subgroups comparison. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the correlation of markers and the pathological features of thyroid nodules. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) showed a significant difference between thyroid cancer and thyroid nodules, while TSH did not. NLR > 1.49529 was the prognostic indicator of pediatric thyroid cancer. The logistic regression model further revealed that NLR > 1.49529 was an independent risk factor for thyroid cancer in pediatric patients. Furthermore, TSH was not correlated with the tumor characteristics in the thyroid cancer group. In conclusion, the findings in this study showed that NLR could be a predictor of thyroid cancer in pediatric patients and refuted the present view that TSH is a risk factor in pediatric thyroid cancer.

Pediatric Thyroid Cancer: To Whom Do You Send the Referral?

Pediatric thyroid cancer is rare, but increasing in annual incidence. Differentiated thyroid cancer in pediatric patients is treated surgically. Pediatric thyroidectomies are performed by general surgeons, otolaryngologists, general pediatric surgeons, and pediatric otolaryngologists. In a comprehensive literature review, we discuss the evidence supporting the importance of surgeon subspecialty and surgeon volume on outcomes for pediatric thyroid cancer patients. Pediatric general surgeons and pediatric otolaryngologists perform most pediatric thyroidectomies. Certain subpopulations specifically benefit from a combined approach of a pediatric surgeon and a high-volume thyroid surgeon. The correlation between high-volume surgeons and lower complication rates in adult thyroid surgery applies to the pediatric population; however, the definition of high-volume for pediatric thyroidectomies requires further investigation. The development of dedicated pediatric thyroid malignancy centers and multidisciplinary or dual-surgeon approaches are advantageous.

Laryngeal Neural Monitoring during Pediatric Thyroid Cancer Surgery—Is Transcartilage Recording a Preferable Method?

The use of transcartilage (TC) intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) in a pediatric population has not been reported. This study evaluated the feasibility and the benefit of using TC-IONM for thyroid cancer surgery in a pediatric population. This retrospective single-center study enrolled 33 pediatric patients who had received an IONM-assisted thyroidectomy. Demographic characteristics, standardized IONM laryngeal examinations and stimulation information (L1-V1-R1-R2-V2-L2) were compared between endotracheal tube (ET) and TC methods. In the 15 cancer patients (30 nerves), TC-IONM provided significant higher electromyography (EMG) amplitude (p < 0.001), signal stability (lower V1/V2 signal correlation, r = 0.955 vs. r = 0.484, p = 0.004), signal quality (higher ratio of V1 or V2 amplitude <500µV, 0.0% vs. 43.8%, p = 0.005) and lower R1-R2p change (7.1% vs. 37.5%, p = 0.049) compared to ET-IONM. In the 18 benign patients (28 nerves), TC-IONM provided significantly higher EMG amplitude (p < 0.001), signal stability (r = 0.945 vs. r = 0.746, p = 0.0324) and non-significant higher signal quality and R1-R2p change. This report is the first to discuss the use of TC-IONM in pediatric thyroid surgery. In contrast with ET-IONM, TC-IONM had superior amplitude, stability and quality of EMG signals, which greatly facilitates the meticulous recurrent laryngeal nerve dissection in pediatric thyroidectomies. The TC-IONM method can be considered a feasible, effective and preferable method of monitored thyroidectomy in pediatric thyroid cancer.

Comparison of Surgical Outcomes between Robotic Transaxillary and Conventional Open Thyroidectomy in Pediatric Thyroid Cancer

Thyroid cancer in children is very uncommon. For pediatric thyroid cancer, robotic surgery has served as a minimally invasive surgical alternative to conventional open surgery. Our study aimed to evaluate the results of robotic versus open surgical treatment for patients with thyroid cancer younger than 20 years of age at the time of diagnosis. This retrospective review included 161 pediatric patients who underwent robotic transaxillary or conventional open thyroidectomy at our institution from 2008 to 2019. Of these patients, 99 comprised the robotic group and 62 the open group. Patient demographics, surgical outcomes, and disease-free survival rates were compared between the two groups. Patients in the open group were more likely to have advanced stage diseases with a larger tumor size and higher tumor-node-metastasis stage than those in the robotic group. Operation time and follow-up period were similar in both groups. Patients in the robotic group had a lower rate of postoperative complications and a shorter length of hospital stay, but they also had a lower average number of retrieved central lymph nodes. However, there were no significant between group differences in recurrence rates and disease-free survival. In the hands of an experienced surgeon, robotic thyroidectomy is a feasible and safe option for pediatric patients.

Serum TSH is not a risk factor for malignancy of pediatric thyroid nodules

It is uncertain whether serum TSH concentration is an independent risk factor for the malignancy of pediatric thyroid nodules. We sought for the association of serum TSH concentration with the malignancy of pediatric thyroid nodules and with the characteristics of pediatric thyroid cancer. A total of 219 pediatric thyroid nodule patients were collected retrospectively for 5 consecutive years. The medical records collected included sex, age, serum TSH concentration, thyroid autoantibody status, thyroid ultra-sonography parameters, histological type, and pathological TNM stages. The serum TSH concentrations were compared between benign and malignant nodules or corresponding subgroups. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the correlation of TSH concentration with the malignancy of thyroid nodules and with the characteristics of pediatric thyroid cancer. There was no significant difference in TSH concentration between benign nodule and thyroid cancer in total subjects and various subgroups. The serum TSH level not correlated with the malignancy of thyroid nodules in univariate analysis, but negatively correlated with the malignancy of thyroid nodules (odds ratio = 0.856, p = 0.013) after adjusting for the patients’ sex, age, thyroid autoantibody status, and nodule size. The serum TSH level not correlated with the tumor characteristics in pediatric thyroid cancer patients. In conclusion, the serum TSH concentration seems not to be a carcinogenic factor in pediatric thyroid nodule patients, nor to be an independent risk factor for characteristics of pre-existing pediatric thyroid cancers.