Preoperative Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone Levels and Risk of Thyroid Cancer in Post-thyroidectomy Patients for Thyroid Nodules: A Study From a Tertiary Hospital in Western Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background Although serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) is one of the basic investigations to assess thyroid nodules, its role in thyroid oncogenesis remains unclear. Previous literature has conflicting findings regarding TSH levels and the prediction of malignancy. This study aims to investigate the association between TSH levels and the risk of malignancy and advanced staging in patients who underwent thyroidectomy for nodular thyroid disease. Additionally, it aims to assess if higher TSH correlates with malignancy in Bethesda staging III, IV, and V. Methodology This retrospective cohort study was conducted among participants who underwent near-total/total thyroidectomy or hemithyroidectomy at King Abdulaziz Medical City between 2016 and 2021. Results A total of 378 cases were included, and 50.3% of the cases had malignant nodules in the surgical histopathology findings. The median TSH levels were higher in malignant nodules compared to benign ones (1.64 mIU/L versus 1.49 mIU/L; p < 0.001). Additionally, higher TSH levels were not associated with advanced staging or malignancy in patients with Bethesda stage III-V. Conclusions Higher TSH levels are associated with an increased risk of malignancy in patients with nodular thyroid disease. Using TSH levels as an adjunctive tool for identifying high-risk patients with thyroid nodules would aid in management planning.

Keywords: differentiated thyroid cancer; preoperative tsh; thyroid nodules; thyroid-stimulating hormone; tsh levels.