Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on surgery for indeterminate thyroid nodules (THYCOVID): a retrospective, international, multicentre, cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Since its outbreak in early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has diverted resources from non-urgent and elective procedures, leading to diagnosis and treatment delays, with an increased number of neoplasms at advanced stages worldwide. The aims of this study were to quantify the reduction in surgical activity for indeterminate thyroid nodules during the COVID-19 pandemic; and to evaluate whether delays in surgery led to an increased occurrence of aggressive tumours.

METHODS

In this retrospective, international, cross-sectional study, centres were invited to participate in June 22, 2022; each centre joining the study was asked to provide data from medical records on all surgical thyroidectomies consecutively performed from Jan 1, 2019, to Dec 31, 2021. Patients with indeterminate thyroid nodules were divided into three groups according to when they underwent surgery: from Jan 1, 2019, to Feb 29, 2020 (global prepandemic phase), from March 1, 2020, to May 31, 2021 (pandemic escalation phase), and from June 1 to Dec 31, 2021 (pandemic decrease phase). The main outcomes were, for each phase, the number of surgeries for indeterminate thyroid nodules, and in patients with a postoperative diagnosis of thyroid cancers, the occurrence of tumours larger than 10 mm, extrathyroidal extension, lymph node metastases, vascular invasion, distant metastases, and tumours at high risk of structural disease recurrence. Univariate analysis was used to compare the probability of aggressive thyroid features between the first and third study phases. The study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05178186.

FINDINGS

Data from 157 centres (n=49 countries) on 87 467 patients who underwent surgery for benign and malignant thyroid disease were collected, of whom 22 974 patients (18 052 [78·6%] female patients and 4922 [21·4%] male patients) received surgery for indeterminate thyroid nodules. We observed a significant reduction in surgery for indeterminate thyroid nodules during the pandemic escalation phase (median monthly surgeries per centre, 1·4 [IQR 0·6-3·4]) compared with the prepandemic phase (2·0 [0·9-3·7]; p<0·0001) and pandemic decrease phase (2·3 [1·0-5·0]; p<0·0001). Compared with the prepandemic phase, in the pandemic decrease phase we observed an increased occurrence of thyroid tumours larger than 10 mm (2554 [69·0%] of 3704 vs 1515 [71·5%] of 2119; OR 1·1 [95% CI 1·0-1·3]; p=0·042), lymph node metastases (343 [9·3%] vs 264 [12·5%]; OR 1·4 [1·2-1·7]; p=0·0001), and tumours at high risk of structural disease recurrence (203 [5·7%] of 3584 vs 155 [7·7%] of 2006; OR 1·4 [1·1-1·7]; p=0·0039).

INTERPRETATION

Our study suggests that the reduction in surgical activity for indeterminate thyroid nodules during the COVID-19 pandemic period could have led to an increased occurrence of aggressive thyroid tumours. However, other compelling hypotheses, including increased selection of patients with aggressive malignancies during this period, should be considered. We suggest that surgery for indeterminate thyroid nodules should no longer be postponed even in future instances of pandemic escalation.

FUNDING

None.

Lessons Learned from the Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy with Vestibular Approach (TOETVA) for the Treatment of Thyroid Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Early detection of thyroid carcinoma has become commonplace. Consequently, the endoscopic approach has become a widely used method.

OBJECTIVE

Our aim was to report our experience with the transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA).

METHODS

We reviewed the records of 46 patients who underwent TOETVA. Only patients with no regional lymph node metastases (N0) and fine needle aspiration biopsy-confirmed thyroid cancer were included. The surgical technique used was as described by Angkoon Anuwong.

RESULTS

Forty-six patients with a mean age of 43.6 years (range 17-71) were included (37 women and 9 men). The mean time of surgery was 207 min (range 95-345), and the conversion to open thyroidectomy rate was 13% (six cases).

CONCLUSION

TOETVA is an acceptable approach for thyroid carcinoma. Poorly differentiated cancer, as well as extrathyroidal extension, result in patients being unsuitable for TOETVA. It is imperative to identify the circumstances under which conversion to open thyroidectomy must take place.

Maxillofacial Rehabilitation With Zygomatic Implants in an Oncologic Patient: A Case Report

Tumor ablation results in significant sequelae in the appearance, function, and esthetics of a patient with cancer, especially resection for head and neck cancer. Reconstruction with local and microvascular flaps is a workable option; however, the esthetic results will occasionally be unfulfilling and inadequate for the rehabilitation of lost structures. Prosthetic rehabilitation with conventional and zygomatic implants can provide favorable and predictable long-term results. We report the clinical case of a 53-year-old female patient with adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC). The treatment protocol included radical surgery, radiotherapy, and maxillofacial rehabilitation with conventional and zygomatic implants. Management of an ACC case requires a timely, radical, and multidisciplinary approach. In our patient, rehabilitation of masticatory function was accomplished in the immediate postoperative period and before radiotherapy. The rehabilitation of masticatory function improved the patient's systemic and nutritional status and her speech, with coverage of the esthetic defect. These outcomes reduced the psychological and emotional effects of tumor ablation.

[Primary sacral tumors: analysis of results and complications]

INTRODUCTION

Primary sacral tumors are rare, treatment in most cases is surgical with or without adjuvant radiotherapy; oncology and functional results are usually adverse with a high rate of complications.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We conducted a retrospective, analytical and observational studies that includes 22 cases treated between 2000 and 2017, analyzed their characteristics demographic, the type of treatment received, and the oncological, functional results and the rate of complications were analized.

RESULTS

22 patients were subjected to sacrectomy with posterior approah because of cordoma (13 patients), giant cell tumour (three patients) and other (six patients). Three total sacrectomies, 13 partial sacrectomies, two hemisacrectomies and four sacrectomies enlarged were performed. The mean surgical time was 229 minutes, with an average bleeding of 2,100 cm3, the average tumour size was 13.8 cm (6-30cm); 10 patients were presented with complications, eight by surgical site infection, one sacral hernia and one osteomyelitis. Overall survival was 44.4 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment of sacral tumors is complex, requires a multidisciplinary team; the oncological result is adequate when you get free margins of neoplasia, the functional results will be determined by the type of resection, and the rate of complications is high however is the best alternative healing in our hospital.

Anaplastic thyroid cancer: multimodal treatment results

Background

Anaplastic thyroid cancer is a rare and lethal disease. It accounts for 1–2% of thyroid malignancies, but specific mortality is higher than 90%. It is an aggressive locoregional disease with a high metastatic capacity. There is no agreement with regards to the best treatment. We analysed the results of treatment in a mestizo population treated in the National Cancer Institute (Mexico).

Methods

We reviewed 1,581 files of thyroid carcinomas; of these, 29 (1.83%) had anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. Demographic variables, clinical manifestations, tumour characteristics, and treatments were analysed.

Results

The median age was 64.5 ± 13.2 years. Females were more affected (female/male ratio: 2.6:1); 21 cases occurred in women (72.4%), and eight in males (27.6%). The most common manifestations were neck enlargement (93.10%) and hoarseness (71.31%). The median tumour size was 8 cm (range: 4–20 cm). The percentage of cases which presented in clinical stage IVA was 10.3%, with 62.1% presenting in clinical stage IVb and 27.6% presenting in clinical stage VIc. Complete resection (R0) (p = 0.05), radiation doses of higher than 33.1 Gy (p = 0.04), and multimodal therapy were associated with better survival. Surgery plus radiotherapy with or without systemic treatment (p = 0.006). The median overall survival was 119 days (IC 95%, 36.3–201.6). Six-month, one-year and two-year survival was 37.9%, 21% and 13%, respectively.

Conclusion

Complete surgical resection is associated with better survival but is very difficult to achieve due to aggressive biological behaviour. Multimodal therapy is associated with better survival and a better quality of life. There is a need for more effective systemic treatments as extensive surgical resections have little overall benefit in highly invasive and metastatic disease.

Pancreatic hemolymphangioma

CONTEXT

Hemolymphangioma of pancreas is a tumor has its origins on vascular and lymphatic vessels malformation. At this time, only eight cases have been reported (PubMed).

CASE REPORT

A 52-year-old woman with history of abdominal pain and early satiety was admitted to our external consultation. Laboratory data were normal. CT initially showed a high vascularized solid tumor, apparently arising from the right hepatic lobe, and it was considered to be a hemangioma. Two sessions of CT guided embolizations were performed. Control CT scan revealed a reduction in tumor´s size and location confined to pancreatic head. With this diagnosis studies and suspicion of neoplastic tumor, it was performed a pylorus preserving pancreatoduodenectomy. Pathology report was to be a pancreatic head hemolymphangioma.

CONCLUSION

Diagnosis and management of cystic pancreatic tumors can be challenging. Cystectomy or even surgical procedures as pancreatoduodenectomy should be performed when is possible. We report a case of pancreatic hemolymphangioma, a benign cystic tumor with a rare incidence.

Soft palate preservation after tumor resection with transoral laser microsurgery

Background: Management and preservation of the soft palate is dependent on clinical stage and tumor histology. However, available literature is scarce regarding the palate preservation with the use of laser CO2. Objectives: We report the results obtained after management with laser surgery and soft palate preservation in three patients with salivary gland neoplasms. Method: Three patients with minor salivary gland tumors were treated by means of transoral laser microsurgery. All tumors were assessed using magnetic resonance imaging. All tumors were >3 cm. Soft palate function was preserved and reconstruction was performed with primary closure. Patients began oral feeding the same day and were discharged after 24 h. Conclusions: Transoral laser microsurgery is recommended for treatment of soft palate tumors. This treatment can be considered a better option when compared with other modalities such as radio- or chemoradiotherapy which require a longer time of treatment, are more expensive and tend to produce significant toxicity.

Key words:Laser CO2, neoplasms, salivary gland.