Are Bethesda III Thyroid Nodules More Aggressive than Bethesda IV Thyroid Nodules When Found to Be Malignant?

The Bethesda classification system for thyroid fine needle aspirate (FNA) is used to predict the risk of malignancy and to guide the management of thyroid nodules. We postulated that thyroid malignancies characterized as Bethesda III on FNA have more aggressive features than those classified as Beth...

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Main Authors: Sena Turkdogan, Marc Pusztaszeri, Veronique-Isabelle Forest, Michael P. Hier, Richard J. Payne
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-09-01
Series:Cancers
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/12/9/2563
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author Sena Turkdogan
Marc Pusztaszeri
Veronique-Isabelle Forest
Michael P. Hier
Richard J. Payne
author_facet Sena Turkdogan
Marc Pusztaszeri
Veronique-Isabelle Forest
Michael P. Hier
Richard J. Payne
author_sort Sena Turkdogan
collection DOAJ
description The Bethesda classification system for thyroid fine needle aspirate (FNA) is used to predict the risk of malignancy and to guide the management of thyroid nodules. We postulated that thyroid malignancies characterized as Bethesda III on FNA have more aggressive features than those classified as Bethesda IV. A retrospective chart review was performed to identify those who underwent thyroid surgery at a single tertiary hospital setting between 2015 and 2020. Associations between Bethesda category, molecular genetic test results, and histopathologic findings were examined. Out of 628 surgeries that were performed, 199 (54.2%) Bethesda III nodules and 216 (82.8%) Bethesda IV nodules were malignant. Of those that were malignant, 37 (18.6%) and 22 (10.2%) Bethesda III and Bethesda IV nodules showed aggressive features, respectively (<i>p</i> value = 0.014). There was a proportionally increased number of aggressive features in extra-thyroidal extension, lymph nodes metastasis, and all aggressive subtypes of papillary thyroid cancer in the Bethesda III category. Although Bethesda IV nodules are much more likely to be malignant (<i>p</i> value = 0.002), our study suggests that Bethesda III nodules that are resected are more likely to have aggressive features than Bethesda IV nodules, with a statistically significant increase in the solid variant of papillary thyroid cancer and lymph node metastasis.
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spelling doaj.art-0b1e21095d854ea081defbefbf14e6852023-11-20T13:02:12ZengMDPI AGCancers2072-66942020-09-01129256310.3390/cancers12092563Are Bethesda III Thyroid Nodules More Aggressive than Bethesda IV Thyroid Nodules When Found to Be Malignant?Sena Turkdogan0Marc Pusztaszeri1Veronique-Isabelle Forest2Michael P. Hier3Richard J. Payne4Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Sir Mortimer B. Davis-Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, CanadaDepartment of Pathology, Sir Mortimer B. Davis-Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, CanadaDepartment of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Sir Mortimer B. Davis-Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, CanadaDepartment of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Sir Mortimer B. Davis-Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, CanadaDepartment of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Sir Mortimer B. Davis-Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, CanadaThe Bethesda classification system for thyroid fine needle aspirate (FNA) is used to predict the risk of malignancy and to guide the management of thyroid nodules. We postulated that thyroid malignancies characterized as Bethesda III on FNA have more aggressive features than those classified as Bethesda IV. A retrospective chart review was performed to identify those who underwent thyroid surgery at a single tertiary hospital setting between 2015 and 2020. Associations between Bethesda category, molecular genetic test results, and histopathologic findings were examined. Out of 628 surgeries that were performed, 199 (54.2%) Bethesda III nodules and 216 (82.8%) Bethesda IV nodules were malignant. Of those that were malignant, 37 (18.6%) and 22 (10.2%) Bethesda III and Bethesda IV nodules showed aggressive features, respectively (<i>p</i> value = 0.014). There was a proportionally increased number of aggressive features in extra-thyroidal extension, lymph nodes metastasis, and all aggressive subtypes of papillary thyroid cancer in the Bethesda III category. Although Bethesda IV nodules are much more likely to be malignant (<i>p</i> value = 0.002), our study suggests that Bethesda III nodules that are resected are more likely to have aggressive features than Bethesda IV nodules, with a statistically significant increase in the solid variant of papillary thyroid cancer and lymph node metastasis.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/12/9/2563thyroid cancerthyroid noduleBethesdamolecular testing
spellingShingle Sena Turkdogan
Marc Pusztaszeri
Veronique-Isabelle Forest
Michael P. Hier
Richard J. Payne
Are Bethesda III Thyroid Nodules More Aggressive than Bethesda IV Thyroid Nodules When Found to Be Malignant?
Cancers
thyroid cancer
thyroid nodule
Bethesda
molecular testing
title Are Bethesda III Thyroid Nodules More Aggressive than Bethesda IV Thyroid Nodules When Found to Be Malignant?
title_full Are Bethesda III Thyroid Nodules More Aggressive than Bethesda IV Thyroid Nodules When Found to Be Malignant?
title_fullStr Are Bethesda III Thyroid Nodules More Aggressive than Bethesda IV Thyroid Nodules When Found to Be Malignant?
title_full_unstemmed Are Bethesda III Thyroid Nodules More Aggressive than Bethesda IV Thyroid Nodules When Found to Be Malignant?
title_short Are Bethesda III Thyroid Nodules More Aggressive than Bethesda IV Thyroid Nodules When Found to Be Malignant?
title_sort are bethesda iii thyroid nodules more aggressive than bethesda iv thyroid nodules when found to be malignant
topic thyroid cancer
thyroid nodule
Bethesda
molecular testing
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/12/9/2563
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