Pediatric thyroid cancer: An update from the SEER database 2007-2012

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Oncology
• Endocrinology
• Cancer Epidemiology

Background:

• Thyroid carcinoma in pediatric patients is uncommon but shows an increasing incidence.
• Understanding current trends in incidence, survival, and treatment is crucial for this population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an updated analysis of pediatric thyroid carcinoma incidence, disease-specific survival, and treatment modalities.
• To identify demographic and histological factors influencing outcomes in pediatric thyroid cancer.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional analysis of the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Database (2007-2012).
• Inclusion of pediatric patients aged 0-19 diagnosed with thyroid cancer.
• Stratification by histological subtype, age group, and treatment (surgery, surgery with radiation).

Main Results:

• 1723 pediatric thyroid cancer cases identified; overall incidence rate of 0.59 per 100,000.
• Papillary (58.8%) and follicular variant (23%) subtypes were most common; incidence increased with age for these.
• Medullary thyroid cancer incidence was highest in younger children (0-4 years) and associated with poorer 15-year survival, especially when metastatic (p < 0.05).
• Surgery plus radiation therapy significantly improved 15-year disease-specific survival across all subtypes (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Pediatric thyroid carcinoma incidence is rising approximately 1% annually.
• Early diagnosis and management, including surgery and radiation, lead to excellent prognoses.
• Medullary thyroid cancer, particularly with metastasis at diagnosis, presents a poorer prognosis compared to other subtypes.