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Surgical resection of the primary tumor prevents an undesirable locoregional condition and improves the quality of life in patients with anaplastic thyroid cancer

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Abstract

Purpose

Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is a highly aggressive tumor that invades surrounding tissues and rapidly metastasizes throughout the body. Growth of the primary tumor in the neck often causes serious conditions that decrease the quality of life (QOL) of patients. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of surgical resection in improving the QOL of patients with ATC.

Methods

This was a retrospective review of 62 patients with ATC treated at Shinshu University Hospital between January 2001 and June 2019.

Results

Fourteen patients underwent R0/R1 resection. Thirteen of the 14 patients received postoperative radiation, and 4 received chemotherapy. The mean survival period was 15.4 ± 18.2 (range, 2–75) months. Distant metastases appeared within 3.2 ± 2.3 months postoperatively in 12 patients. A permanent tracheostomy was required in six patients; however, eight patients did not show airway obstruction until death. Daily treatment for exudate or bleeding from tumors that eroded in the neck, which deteriorated the QOL, was unnecessary in 12 patients.

Conclusions

As surgical resection can improve the QOL in patients with ATC, thyroid surgeons should promptly and carefully evaluate the resectability of the tumor and favor resection as much as possible.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Editage (http://www.editage.jp) for the English language editing.

Funding

This research received no external funding.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, Department of Surgery, Shinshu University School of Medicine, 3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto, Nagano, 390-861, Japan

    Toshiharu Kanai, Tokiko Ito, Hiroki Morikawa, Masatsugu Amitani, Tadafumi Shimizu, Koichi Ohno, Mayu Ono, Takaaki Oba, Kazuma Maeno & Ken-ichi Ito

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  1. Toshiharu Kanai
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  2. Tokiko Ito
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  3. Hiroki Morikawa
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Contributions

All of the authors were involved in the management of the patients. TK and KI contributed to the drafting and the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ken-ichi Ito.

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The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Institutional review board statement

This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Shinshu University School of Medicine (No. 4920).

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Written informed consent was obtained from the patients regarding the use of their clinical information.

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Kanai, T., Ito, T., Morikawa, H. et al. Surgical resection of the primary tumor prevents an undesirable locoregional condition and improves the quality of life in patients with anaplastic thyroid cancer. Surg Today 52, 1620–1626 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00595-022-02494-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00595-022-02494-8

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