Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 6, 2026
04:45
Intraoperative Assessment of Resection Margins in Oral Cavity Cancer: This is the Way
Published on: May 10, 2021
4.3K
Does microscopic positive tumor margin in papillary thyroid cancer really matter?
Kyorim Back1, Seo Ki Kim2, Young Jun Chai3
1Division of Endocrine Surgery, Department of Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
Surgery
|October 5, 2019
Summary
A microscopically positive tumor margin in papillary thyroid cancer does not significantly increase recurrence risk. This finding applies regardless of whether the positive margin is anterior or posterior, impacting recurrence-free survival rates.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Surgical Pathology
Background:
- The clinical significance of microscopically positive tumor margins in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) requires further investigation.
- Understanding the impact of margin status on recurrence is crucial for patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the clinical importance of microscopically positive margins for recurrence in PTC patients.
- To determine if the location (anterior or posterior) of a positive margin affects recurrence and recurrence-free survival.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective cohort study included 6,293 PTC patients undergoing total thyroidectomy.
- Data were collected from January 1997 to June 2015 at a single institution.
- Cox proportional hazard models and propensity score-matching analyses were utilized.
Main Results:
- A microscopically positive margin was found in 5.0% of patients (313/6,293).
- The presence of a positive margin did not significantly increase locoregional recurrence risk (aHR=1.079, P=.140).
- Posterior positive margins also did not elevate recurrence risk (aHR=1.24, P=.672).
Conclusions:
- Microscopic operative margin involvement in PTC, anterior or posterior, is not an independent prognostic factor for recurrence-free survival.
- These findings suggest that a positive margin alone may not necessitate more aggressive treatment in PTC.
