Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25471041›Full record

ArticleBMC cancer2014

Number of tumor foci predicts prognosis in papillary thyroid cancer.

Ning Qu, Ling Zhang, Qing-hai Ji, Yong-xue Zhu, Zhuo-ying Wang, Qiang Shen, Yu Wang, Duan-shu Li

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In one paragraph

Article in BMC cancer, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 45 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
45citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

45 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Ning Qu
Ling Zhang
Qing-hai JiDepartment of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China. jiqinghai@shca.org.cn.
Yong-xue Zhu
Zhuo-ying Wang
Qiang Shen
Yu Wang
Duan-shu Li

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPapillary thyroid cancer (PTC) often presents as multifocal. However, the association of multifocality with poor prognosis remains controversial. The aim of this retrospective study was to identify the characteristics of PTC with multiple foci and to evaluate the association between multifocality and prognosis.

methodsWe reviewed the medical records of 496 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy for PTC. Patients were classified as G1 (1 tumor focus), G2 (2 foci), and G3 (3 or more foci). We analyzed the clinicopathological features and clinical outcomes in each classification. A Cox regression model was used to assess the relationship between multifocality and recurrence or cancer mortality.

resultsThe G1, G2 and G3 groups included 287, 141 and 68 patients, respectively. The mean age was 47.1±16.1 yr in G1, 41.1±18.4 yr in G2, and 35.5±15.9 yr in G3 and differed significantly among the 3 groups (p=0.001). The proportion of extrathyroidal extension, central lymph node metastasis (CLNM), and lateral lymph node metastasis (LLNM) in the G1 to G3 groups increased with increasing number of tumor foci. The Kaplan-Meier curves revealed that G3 had the shortest recurrence-free survival, and differences were significant among the 3 groups (p=0.001, Log Rank test). Furthermore, cancer-specific survival rates decreased significantly with increasing number of tumor foci (p=0.041). Independent predictors of recurrence by multivariate Cox analysis included >3 tumor foci [HR 2.60, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.53-4.39, p=0.001] and extrathyroidal extension (HR 1.95, CI 1.12-3.38, p=0.018).

conclusionAn increase in the number of tumors is associated with a tendency toward more aggressive features and predicts poor prognosis in PTC.

Indexed as

Tumor BurdenAdolescentAdultAgedAged, 80 and overCarcinomaCarcinoma, PapillaryChildDisease-Free SurvivalFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansKaplan-Meier EstimateLymphatic MetastasisMaleMiddle Aged

Identifiers

PMID25471041
PMCPMC4289292

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.