Frequency Distribution of Neoplastic and Non-neoplastic Thyroid Lesions in Relation to Patient Age and Gender

Thyroid lesions, ranging from benign nodules to malignant neoplasms, are among the most common endocrine pathologies. Understanding local histopathologic patterns is essential for guiding clinical management, surgical planning, and resource allocation.

To assess the frequency and distribution of neoplastic and non-neoplastic thyroid lesions in relation to patient age and gender at a tertiary care center in Lahore, Pakistan.

This retrospective study analyzed 305 thyroidectomy specimens collected over five years (2018-2022) at Shalamar Hospital, Lahore. Patients aged 10-89 years who underwent lobectomy, subtotal, or total thyroidectomy were included. Data on age, gender, and histopathologic classification were extracted from departmental records. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA).

Among 305 patients, 244 (80.0%) were female and 61 (20.0%) male, with a mean age of 44.0 ± 15.2 years. Neoplastic lesions comprised 168 cases (55.1%), with benign follicular adenoma accounting for 20.0% and malignant neoplasms for 35.1%, predominantly papillary carcinoma (24.9%). Non-neoplastic lesions accounted for 137 cases (44.9%), most commonly multinodular goiter (24.9%). Neoplastic lesions were significantly more frequent in females (59.8%) than males (36.1%) (χ² = 11.42, p = 0.001), and patients with neoplastic lesions were slightly older than those with non-neoplastic disease (45.6 ± 14.5 vs 42.0 ± 15.9 years, p = 0.041).

Neoplastic lesions slightly outnumbered non-neoplastic lesions, with papillary carcinoma and multinodular goiter being the most common subtypes, respectively. Age and gender influenced lesion distribution, highlighting their importance in preoperative counseling and surgical planning.