Delayed risk stratification system in pT1aN0/Nx DTC patients treated without radioactive iodine

Delayed risk stratification (DRS) system by Momesso and coworkers was accepted by the American Thyroid Association as a diagnostic tool for the risk stratification of unfavorable clinical outcomes and to monitor the clinical outcomes of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) patients treated without radioactive iodine (RAI). The aim of this study was to evaluate the DRS system in patients with pT1aN0/Nx stage.

The study included 304 low-risk patients after thyroidectomy (n = 202) or lobectomy (n = 102) without RAI and were treated at a single center. The median age was 50.5 years, 91.1% were women and the median follow-up was 4 years. DRS of the treatment response was performed based on medical records and according to the criteria of Momesso and coworkers. Disease course (recurrence, death) and status (remission, persistent disease) on December 31, 2016 were evaluated. The relationship between unfavorable outcomes and the DRS system was evaluated.

Response to initial therapy was excellent in 272 patients (89.5%), indeterminate in 31 (10.2%) and biochemical incomplete (increased TgAb levels) in one (0.3%). Two patients in the excellent response group experienced recurrence at 6 and 7 years of follow-up (after lobectomy). None of the patients with indeterminate and biochemical incomplete response developed structural disease, and none of the patients died during the follow-up.

The DRS system was not useful for predicting the risk of unfavorable clinical outcomes and cannot be used to personalize the monitoring method of the disease in patients at pT1aN0/Nx stage who are not treated with RAI.