Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26353010›Full record

ArticleThe Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism2015

Afirma Benign Thyroid Nodules Show Similar Growth to Cytologically Benign Nodules During Follow-Up.

Trevor E Angell, Mary C Frates, Marco Medici, Xiaoyun Liu, Norra Kwong, Edmund S Cibas, Matthew I Kim, Ellen Marqusee

Open access · bronzeAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
13citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
4.2field-weighted citation impact, top 5% of its field
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

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

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

13 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 32 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Article
  4. Features of Cytologically Indeterminate Molecularly Benign Nodules Treated With Surgery.The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism · 2020
    Article
  5. Article
  6. Review
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Preoperative Molecular Markers in Thyroid Nodules.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2018
    Review
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
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 at 3 institutions in 3 countries.

Trevor E AngellThyroid Section (T.E.A., M.M., X.L., N.K., M.I.K., E.M.), Division of Endocrinology, Hypertension, and Diabetes, and Departments of Radiology (M.C.F.) and Pathology (E.S.C.), Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115; Rotterdam Thyroid Center and Department of Internal Medicine (M.M.), Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands; and Department of Endocrinology (X.L.), First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210008, Jiangsu Province, China.
Mary C FratesThyroid Section (T.E.A., M.M., X.L., N.K., M.I.K., E.M.), Division of Endocrinology, Hypertension, and Diabetes, and Departments of Radiology (M.C.F.) and Pathology (E.S.C.), Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115; Rotterdam Thyroid Center and Department of Internal Medicine (M.M.), Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands; and Department of Endocrinology (X.L.), First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210008, Jiangsu Province, China.
Marco MediciThyroid Section (T.E.A., M.M., X.L., N.K., M.I.K., E.M.), Division of Endocrinology, Hypertension, and Diabetes, and Departments of Radiology (M.C.F.) and Pathology (E.S.C.), Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115; Rotterdam Thyroid Center and Department of Internal Medicine (M.M.), Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands; and Department of Endocrinology (X.L.), First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210008, Jiangsu Province, China.
Xiaoyun LiuThyroid Section (T.E.A., M.M., X.L., N.K., M.I.K., E.M.), Division of Endocrinology, Hypertension, and Diabetes, and Departments of Radiology (M.C.F.) and Pathology (E.S.C.), Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115; Rotterdam Thyroid Center and Department of Internal Medicine (M.M.), Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands; and Department of Endocrinology (X.L.), First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210008, Jiangsu Province, China.
Norra KwongThyroid Section (T.E.A., M.M., X.L., N.K., M.I.K., E.M.), Division of Endocrinology, Hypertension, and Diabetes, and Departments of Radiology (M.C.F.) and Pathology (E.S.C.), Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115; Rotterdam Thyroid Center and Department of Internal Medicine (M.M.), Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands; and Department of Endocrinology (X.L.), First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210008, Jiangsu Province, China.
Edmund S CibasThyroid Section (T.E.A., M.M., X.L., N.K., M.I.K., E.M.), Division of Endocrinology, Hypertension, and Diabetes, and Departments of Radiology (M.C.F.) and Pathology (E.S.C.), Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115; Rotterdam Thyroid Center and Department of Internal Medicine (M.M.), Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands; and Department of Endocrinology (X.L.), First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210008, Jiangsu Province, China.
Matthew I KimThyroid Section (T.E.A., M.M., X.L., N.K., M.I.K., E.M.), Division of Endocrinology, Hypertension, and Diabetes, and Departments of Radiology (M.C.F.) and Pathology (E.S.C.), Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115; Rotterdam Thyroid Center and Department of Internal Medicine (M.M.), Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands; and Department of Endocrinology (X.L.), First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210008, Jiangsu Province, China.
Ellen MarquseeThyroid Section (T.E.A., M.M., X.L., N.K., M.I.K., E.M.), Division of Endocrinology, Hypertension, and Diabetes, and Departments of Radiology (M.C.F.) and Pathology (E.S.C.), Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115; Rotterdam Thyroid Center and Department of Internal Medicine (M.M.), Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands; and Department of Endocrinology (X.L.), First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210008, Jiangsu Province, China.
Erasmus MC · NLHarvard University · USNanjing Medical University · CN

Funding

TRAINING GRANT IN ACADEMIC ENDOCRINOLOGYT32DK007529 · NIDDK · BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL · PI Ursula B. Kaiser, Anand Vaidya · 1986 to 2026
$6.3M
NIDDK NIH HHS T32 DK007529
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

contextThe Afirma gene expression classifier (GEC) is a molecular diagnostic test that has a high negative predictive value for ruling out malignancy in thyroid nodules with indeterminate cytology. Many patients with a cytologically indeterminate and GEC benign (Cyto-I/GEC-B) nodule undergo monitoring instead of diagnostic surgery, but few data describe their follow-up.

objectiveThe objective of the study was to determine the sonographic changes and clinical outcomes for patients with Cyto-I/GEC-B nodules compared with patients with cytologically benign (Cyto-B) nodules.

designThis was a retrospective analysis of consecutive Cyto-I/GEC-B nodules evaluated at Brigham and Women's Hospital compared with Cyto-B nodules. MAIN OUTCOMES: Nodule growth of 20% or greater in two dimensions or of 50% or greater in volume, change in sonographic features, and rates of repeat fine-needle aspiration, thyroidectomy, and malignancy.

resultsNinety-five Cyto-I/GEC-B nodules in 90 patients were identified. Five patients underwent primary surgical resection. Of the remaining 90 nodules, 58 (64.4%) had sonographic follow-up available at a median of 13 months (range 4-40 mo). Cyto-I/GEC-B nodules showed similar growth compared with 1224 Cyto-B nodules using either of the following criteria: 20% or greater in two dimensions (8.6% vs 8.3%, P = .80) or 50% or greater in volume (17.2% vs 13.8%, P = .44). Thyroidectomies were more frequent in the Cyto-I/GEC-B group (13.8% vs 0.9%, P < .0001), but cancer was found in only one patient, with no evidence of persistent disease after initial treatment.

conclusionsCyto-I/GEC-B nodules demonstrate similar growth to Cyto-B nodules during follow-up. Although Cyto-I/GEC-B nodules were more frequently resected, only one malignancy was found. These data suggest that reassessment of Cyto-I/GEC-B nodules may be performed similarly to those with benign cytology.

Indexed as

Gene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticAdultAgedAged, 80 and overBiopsy, Fine-NeedleBostonCohort StudiesFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHospitals, TeachingHumansMaleMiddle AgedNeoplasm ProteinsReoperationRetrospective StudiesNeoplasm Proteins

Identifiers

PMID26353010
PMCPMC4702458
OpenAlexW2098597201

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

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.