Incidental thyroid carcinoma in surgically treated multinodular goiter: a retrospective study

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Surgical Oncology
• Pathology

Background:

• Multinodular goiter (MNG) is a common thyroid condition.
• Malignancy can be incidentally found during surgery for MNG, with varying reported prevalence.
• This study investigates the incidence and characteristics of incidental thyroid carcinoma in MNG patients undergoing surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the incidence of incidental thyroid carcinoma in patients operated on for MNG.
• To analyze demographic and clinicopathological features associated with incidental thyroid carcinoma.
• To evaluate the relationship between patient characteristics and the occurrence of malignancy.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of 223 patients with MNG undergoing thyroidectomy (January 2018 - May 2024).
• Data collected included clinical, demographic, and pathological information.
• Statistical analyses were performed to identify associations with incidental carcinoma.

Main Results:

• Incidental thyroid carcinoma was found in 14.4% of patients (32 out of 223).
• Papillary thyroid carcinoma was the most frequent subtype (78.1%).
• Patients with carcinoma were significantly younger (mean age 49.4 vs. 56.2 years; p=0.008), and increasing age was linked to reduced malignancy risk (OR=0.963; p=0.009).

Conclusions:

• Incidental thyroid carcinoma is a frequent finding in MNG surgery patients.
• Papillary carcinoma is the predominant subtype; no significant sex differences were noted.
• Current data are insufficient to alter thyroid nodule screening strategies despite age and thyroid weight considerations.