[Cox's regression analysis of prognostic factors in differentiated thyroid carcinomas]

A multivariate analysis of prognostic factors in differentiated thyroid carcinomas has been carried out using Cox's proportional hazard model. The patient's age, tumor size, extent of the primary tumor, distant metastases, operative methods, sex, nodal status and histology were tested in a survival analysis. The initial five factors were found to be the significant prognostic variables in a univariate analysis, whereas the other were of no importance. A multivariate analysis, however, shows age and the distant metastases as being the significant prognostic predictors. Therefore, the patient's age must be taken into account in a follow-up study of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinomas.