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<p><bold>Introduction</bold>: Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) is defined as a PTC measuring 1 cm or less, incidentally discovered. The aim of this study was to determine whether small (&lt;5mm) tumors by contrast with large (≥5mm) ones are less frequently associated with high-risk morphological features, predictive of tumor aggressiveness. <bold>Materials and methods</bold>: All consecutive PTMC cases registered at the Department of Pathology, Târgu-Mureş Emergency County Hospital between 2003-2014 were reviewed. The following have been assessed: tumor size, subcapsular versus nonsubcapsular location, extrathyroidal extension/invasion into the perithyroidal adipose tissue, multifocality, resection margins, lymph node involvement, histological variant, tumor border, stromal reaction (fibrosis/desmoplasia/sclerosis), presence of plump pink cells, nuclear features of the tumor cells, intratumoral lymphocytic infiltrate, multinucleated giant cells, psammoma bodies and stromal calcification. The cases were split in two categories: small (&lt; 5mm) and large (≥ 5mm) PTMCs and the pathological features were evaluated in comparison. <bold>Results</bold>: Our study included 206 cases, 91 large and 115 small PTMCs, respectively. Large PTMCs were significantly associated with the presence of plump pink cells (p=0.002), well developed PTC nuclear features (p=0.003), stromal reaction (fibrosis/desmoplasia/sclerosis) (p&lt;0.001), infiltrative tumor border (p=0.011), subcapsular location (p&lt;0.001), positive resection margins (p=0.022), stromal calcifications (p&lt;0.001) and intratumoral multinucleated giant cells (p&lt;0.001). Small PTMCs were generally well circumscribed and nonsubcapsular. <bold>Conclusions</bold>: Our results have shown that small (&lt;5mm) PTMCs are less frequently associated with high-risk morphological features, predictive of tumor aggressiveness compared with large (≥5mm) tumors and could thus be considered as low-risk cancers.</p>
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Introduction: Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) is defined as a PTC measuring 1 cm or less, incidentally discovered. The aim of this study was to determine whether small (<5mm) tumors by contrast with large (≥5mm) ones are less frequently associated with high-risk morphological features, predictive of tumor aggressiveness. Materials and methods: All consecutive PTMC cases registered at the Department of Pathology, Târgu-Mureş Emergency County Hospital between 2003-2014 were reviewed. The following have been assessed: tumor size, subcapsular versus nonsubcapsular location, extrathyroidal extension/invasion into the perithyroidal adipose tissue, multifocality, resection margins, lymph node involvement, histological variant, tumor border, stromal reaction (fibrosis/desmoplasia/sclerosis), presence of plump pink cells, nuclear features of the tumor cells, intratumoral lymphocytic infiltrate, multinucleated giant cells, psammoma bodies and stromal calcification. The cases were split in two categories: small (< 5mm) and large (≥ 5mm) PTMCs and the pathological features were evaluated in comparison. Results: Our study included 206 cases, 91 large and 115 small PTMCs, respectively. Large PTMCs were significantly associated with the presence of plump pink cells (p=0.002), well developed PTC nuclear features (p=0.003), stromal reaction (fibrosis/desmoplasia/sclerosis) (p<0.001), infiltrative tumor border (p=0.011), subcapsular location (p<0.001), positive resection margins (p=0.022), stromal calcifications (p<0.001) and intratumoral multinucleated giant cells (p<0.001). Small PTMCs were generally well circumscribed and nonsubcapsular. Conclusions: Our results have shown that small (<5mm) PTMCs are less frequently associated with high-risk morphological features, predictive of tumor aggressiveness compared with large (≥5mm) tumors and could thus be considered as low-risk cancers.

High-risk morphological features are less prevalent among small (&lt;5mm) papillary thyroid microcarcinomas compared to larger (≥5mm) tumors: a study of 206 cases

George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures

Acta Marisiensis - Seria Medica

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

High-risk morphological features are less prevalent among small (<5mm) papillary thyroid microcarcinomas compared to larger (≥5mm) tumors: a study of 206 cases

Introduction: Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) is defined as a PTC measuring 1 cm or less, incidentally discovered. The aim of this study was to...

High-risk morphological features are less prevalent among small (<5mm) papillary thyroid microcarcinomas compared to larger (≥5mm) tumors: a study of 206 cases

Published Online: Jul 12, 2021

Page range: 108 - 114

Received: Mar 23, 2021

Accepted: Apr 21, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/amma-2021-0016

Keywords
papillary, microcarcinoma, thyroid, tumor size, plump cells

© 2021 Emőke-Andrea Szász et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

High-risk morphological features are less prevalent among small (<5mm) papillary thyroid microcarcinomas compared to larger (≥5mm) tumors: a study of 206 cases

Published Online: Jul 12, 2021

Page range: 108 - 114

Received: Mar 23, 2021

Accepted: Apr 21, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/amma-2021-0016

Keywordspapillary, microcarcinoma, thyroid, tumor size, plump cells

© 2021 Emőke-Andrea Szász et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Keywords
papillary, microcarcinoma, thyroid, tumor size, plump cells