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Scattered Psammomatous Calcifications around Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

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Abstract

Background

Although psammomatous calcification is a characteristic pathologic feature of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), the clinical meaning of histologically determined scattered psammomatous calcifications around PTC is unknown.

Objective

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical significance of scattered psammomatous calcifications around PTC.

Materials and methods

Between January 2009 and July 2009, a total of 546 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy for PTC were enrolled. They were classified into two groups: patients with scattered psammomatous calcifications and patients without psammomatous calcifications. The clinical findings, preoperative diagnostic findings, and histopathologic features were compared between the two groups.

Results

Scattered psammomatous calcifications around PTC were found in 209 patients (38 %), and mostly in younger patients (p = 0.007), those with infiltrative tumor margin (p = 0.022), those with capsule invasion (p = 0.013), and those with lymph node metastasis (p < 0.001). No statistical significance was found in gender, tumor size, multiplicity, and coexisting lymphocytic thyroiditis.

Conclusions

Although further studies with large-scale, long-term follow-up will be necessary to validate the relationship between scattered psammomatous calcifications and prognosis, scattered psammomatous calcification around PTC may have correlations with the aggressiveness of the PTC.

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Acknowledgment

No grant support was received for the research.

Conflict of interest

No authors have any financial conflicts of interest to disclose.

Disclosure

Supported by a faculty research grant of a Yousei University College of medicine in 2008 (Grant No. 6-2008-0184).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Thyroid Cancer Center, Departments of Surgery, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 211 Eonjuro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, 135-720, Korea

    Yong Sang Lee, Hang-Seok Chang & Cheong Soo Park

  2. Thyroid Cancer Center, Department of Pathology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 211 Eonjuro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, 135-720, Korea

    Soon Won Hong

Authors
  1. Yong Sang Lee
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  2. Soon Won Hong
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  3. Hang-Seok Chang
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Correspondence to Hang-Seok Chang.

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Lee, Y.S., Hong, S.W., Chang, HS. et al. Scattered Psammomatous Calcifications around Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma. World J Surg 38, 1738–1742 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-014-2460-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-014-2460-z

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