Table 3 Comparative analysis of clinicopathological characteristics based on the size of primary tumors
Variable | Tumor size ≤ 0.5 cm N (%) | Tumor size > 0.5 cm N (%) | P value |
|---|---|---|---|
Total patients | 161/326 (49.4) | 165/326 (50.6) | - |
Age (years) | 36.7 (8–71) | 47.8 (8–76) | |
≤45 years | 107 (66.5) | 94 (56.9) | 0.034 |
≥45 years | 54 (33.5) | 71 (43.1) | |
Gender | |||
Female | 139 (86.4) | 132 (80.0) | 0.08 |
Male | 22 (13.6) | 33 (20.0) | |
Mean size (cm) | 0.38 (0.1–0.5) | 0.68 (0.6–1.0) | <0.001 |
Histopathologic variants | |||
Classic | 126 (78.2) | 139 (84.3) | |
Follicular | 26 (16.2) | 14 (8.5) | |
Hurthle cell | 4 (2.5) | 4 (2.4) | 0.023 |
Tall cell | 4 (2.5) | 7 (4.3) | |
Sclerosing | 1 (0.6) | - | |
Multifocal | |||
Yes | 36 (22.4) | 89 (53.9) | |
No | 125 (77.6) | 76 (46.1) | <0.001 |
ETE | |||
Yes | 16 (9.9) | 46 (27.9) | <0.001 |
No | 145 (90.1) | 119 (72.1) | |
LVSI | |||
Yes | 14 (8.7) | 41 (24.9) | <0.001 |
No | 147 (91.3) | 124 (75.1) | |
Surgical margins | |||
Positive | 5 (3.1) | 30 (18.2) | |
Negative | 156 (96.9) | 135 (81.8) | <0.001 |
Background thyroid tissue | |||
Normal | 60 (37.3) | 38 (23.0) | |
Multi-nodular goiter | 48 (29.8) | 58 (35.2) | |
Lymphocytic thyroiditis/Hashimotos’ thyroiditis | 53 (32.9) | 69 (41.8) | 0.05 |
Lymph node metastasis | |||
Yes | 15 (9.3) | 27 (16.4) | |
No | 146 (90.7) | 138 (83.6) | <0.001 |
RAI ablation | |||
Yes | 50 (31.1) | 132 (67.3) | <0.001 |
No | 111 (68.9) | 22 (13.3) | |
Recurrences | |||
Locoregional | 4 (2.5) | 9 (5.5) | |
Thyroid bed | 1/4 | 2/9 | |
Lymph nodes | 3/4 | 7/9 | <0.001 |
Distant | 2 (1.3) | 8 (4.9) | |
Lungs | 2 | 7/8 | |
Bone | - | 1/8 | |