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. 2022 Nov 23:13:1025629.
doi: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1025629. eCollection 2022.

Oncologic outcomes of calcitonin-negative medullary thyroid carcinoma

Wenliang Yue  1 , Yong Zhang  1
Affiliations

Oncologic outcomes of calcitonin-negative medullary thyroid carcinoma

Wenliang Yue et al. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). .

Abstract

Objective: Calcitonin (Ct)-negative medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is a rare neuroendocrine tumor. This study aimed to clarify its incidence, clinicopathologic characteristics, management, and treatment outcome.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data of patients with primary MTC. Patients were divided into two groups according to the preoperative serum Ct level (Ct-negative and Ct-positive). The demographic, pathologic, and molecular characteristics, and treatment outcomes were compared between the two groups. In the Ct-negative group, we analyzed the association between the operation type and treatment outcome.

Results: Of the total 312 patients, 24 were diagnosed with Ct-negative MTC. The rate of lymph node metastasis was significantly higher in the Ct-positive than in the Ct-negative group (47.9% vs. 0%, p<0.001). The proportion of patients with Ki-67 ≤10% was significantly higher in the Ct-negative than in the Ct-positive group (87.5% vs. 38.2%, p<0.001). Excellent response was achieved by 91.7% and 34.7% of patients in the Ct-negative and Ct-positive groups, respectively (p<0.001). In the Ct-negative group, excellent response was achieved by all female patients, but only 50% of male patients.

Conclusions: Ct-negative MTC is rare and unlikely to develop lymph node metastasis. Unilateral lobectomy tends to provide a satisfactory chance of excellent response; however, this requires further validation.

Keywords: biochemical cure; calcitonin; calcitonin-negative medullary thyroid carcinoma; medullary thyroid carcinoma; neuroendocrine tumor.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Study flowchart. Ct, calcitonin; MTC, medullary thyroid carcinoma.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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