Comparative clinicopathological and outcome analysis of differentiated thyroid cancer in Saudi patients aged below 60 years and above 60 years

Figures & data

Table 1 Comparison of clinicopathological and treatment characteristics of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma aged below 60 years and above 60 years at presentation

Variables	Aged below 60 years (n=252)	Aged above 60 years (n=118)	P-value
Age (years)
Median (range) SD	51.9 (46–60) ±4.2	68.6 (62–97) ±565.2	0.022
Sex, n (%)
M	50 (19.8)	28 (12.3)
F	202 (74.1)	90 (87.7)	0.235
Tumor size (cm)
Median (range) SD	2.92 (0.3–11) ±1.97	2.88 (0.2–10) ±1.87	0.653
Histology, n (%)
Papillary	235 (93.3)	109 (92.4)	0.063
Classic	149 (63.4)	46 (42.2)	0.003
Follicular	63 (26.8)	44 (40.2)	0.002
Tall cell	18 (7.6)	13 (11.9)	0.041
Sclerosing	5 (2.2)	6 (5.5)	0.044
Follicular	17 (6.7)	9 (7.6)	0.065
T stage, n (%)
T1	70 (27.8)	28 (23.7)
T2	106 (42.1)	36 (30.5)	0.018
T3	62 (24.5)	47 (39.9)
T4	14 (5.6)	7 (5.9)
N stage, n (%)
N0	184 (73.1)	67 (56.9)
N1	68 (26.9)	51 (43.2)	0.002
N1a	30 (44.2)	30 (58.8)
N1b	38 (55.8)	21 (41.2)
M stage, n (%)
M0	242 (96.0)	105 (88.9)	0.010
M1	10 (4.0)	13 (11.0)
Multifocality, n (%)
Yes	76 (30.2)	52 (44.1)	0.006
No	176 (69.8)	66 (55.9)
LVSI, n (%)
Yes	63 (25.0)	48 (40.7)	0.003
No	189 (75.0)	70 (59.3)
Surgery, n (%)
Total thyroidectomy	215 (85.3)	99 (83.9)
Near total thyroidectomy	37 (14.7)	19 (16.1)	0.065
Neck dissection, n (%)
No	46 (18.2)	38 (32.2)
Yes	206 (81.7)	80 (67.8)	0.027
Central	104 (50.5)	48 (60.0)
Lateral	102 (49.5)	32 (40.0)
Adjuvant RAI therapy, n (%)
No	35 (13.9)	9 (6.9)
Yes	217 (84.9)	109 (89.8)	0.460
30 mCi	41 (18.9)	15 (13.7)
100 mCi	48 (22.1)	21 (19.3)
150 mCi	117 (53.9)	58 (53.3)
200 mCi	11 (5.1)	15 (13.7)

Note: Data in bold indicates statistical significance.

Abbreviations: n, number; DTC, differentiated thyroid cancer; SD, standard deviation; M, male; F, female; T, tumor; N, node; M, metastasis; LVSI, lymphovascular space invasion; RAI, radioactive iodine; mCi, millicurie.

Table 2 Comparative analysis of complications of surgery and toxicities of radioactive iodine ablation in our cohort

Toxicity	Aged below 60 years (n=252)	Aged above 60 years (n=118)	P-value
Thyroidectomy, n (%)
Hypoparathyroidism	35 (15.2)	28 (23.7)	0.042
Transient	34 (97.2)	26 (92.9)
Permanent	1 (2.8)	2 (7.1)	0.043
Recurrent laryngeal nerve damage	3 (1.2)	2 (1.7)	0.071
Postoperative hemorrhage	4 (1.6)	8 (6.8)	0.011
Wound infection	2 (0.8)	3 (2.5)	0.021
RAI ablation, n (%)
Acute	88 (34.9)	42 (35.6)	0.061
Sialadenitis	25 (28.4)	15 (35.7)	0.042
Acute sickness (nausea and vomiting)	21 (23.8)	10 (23.8)	0.054
Severe hair loss	23 (26.2)	8 (19.1)	0.064
Neck pain	19 (21.6)	9 (21.4)	0.072
RAI induced hyponatremia	0	2 (1.7)	0.010
RAI ablation, n (%)
Late	11 (4.3)	9 (7.6)	0.034
Sicca syndrome	3 (27.3)	4 (44.4)
Nasolacrimal duct obstruction	7 (63.6)	4 (44.4)
Second malignancy	0	0
Infertility	0	0
Lung fibrosis	1 (9.1)	1 (11.2)

Note: Data in bold indicates statistical significance.

Abbreviations: n, number; RAI, radioactive iodine.

Table 3 Pattern of failure after thyroidectomy and radioactive iodine therapy in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer aged below 60 years and above 60 years

Failures	Aged below 60 years (n=252)	Aged above 60 years (n=118)	P-value
Locoregional, n (%)	12 (4.8)	13 (11.0)	0.025
Thyroid bed	3 (25.0)	4 (30.7)
Lymph nodes	9 (75.0)	9 (69.3)
Distant, n (%)	14 (5.6)	18 (115.3)	0.003
Lungs	11 (78.6)	13 (72.2)
Bones	3 (21.4)	3 (16.7)
Brain	0	2 (11.1)
Locoregional + distant, n (%)	7 (2.8)	11 (9.3)	0.031
10-year LRC rate	94.3%	86.0%	0.019
10-year DMC rate	93.1%	82.2%	0.001
10-year OS rate	96.7%	91.0%	0.491

Abbreviations: n, number; LRC, locoregional control; DMC, distant metastasis control; OS, overall survival.

Figure 1 Cumulative disease-free survival probability of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer aged <60 years and >60 years.