Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28510505›Full record

ArticleThyroid : official journal of the American Thyroid Association2017

Papillary Thyroid Cancer: The Good and Bad of the "Good Cancer".

Reese W Randle, Norah M Bushman, Jason Orne, Courtney J Balentine, Elizabeth Wendt, Megan Saucke, Susan C Pitt, Cameron L Macdonald, Nadine P Connor, Rebecca S Sippel

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Thyroid : official journal of the American Thyroid Association, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 48 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
48citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
5.0field-weighted citation impact, top 4% 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

48 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 88 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  5. The impact of coping styles on anxiety and depression trajectories in thyroid cancer surgery patients: a longitudinal study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
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  16. "No such thing as good cancer": a qualitative exploration of the experience of early-onset thyroid cancer in survivors.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2024
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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

10 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Reese W Randle1 Department of General Surgery, University of Wisconsin , Madison, Wisconsin.
Norah M Bushman1 Department of General Surgery, University of Wisconsin , Madison, Wisconsin.
Jason Orne2 Qualitative Health Research Consultants , Madison, Wisconsin.
Courtney J Balentine4 Department of Surgery, University of Alabama , Birmingham, Alabama.
Elizabeth Wendt1 Department of General Surgery, University of Wisconsin , Madison, Wisconsin.
Megan Saucke1 Department of General Surgery, University of Wisconsin , Madison, Wisconsin.
Susan C Pitt1 Department of General Surgery, University of Wisconsin , Madison, Wisconsin.
Cameron L Macdonald2 Qualitative Health Research Consultants , Madison, Wisconsin.
Nadine P Connor1 Department of General Surgery, University of Wisconsin , Madison, Wisconsin.
Rebecca S Sippel1 Department of General Surgery, University of Wisconsin , Madison, Wisconsin.
University of Wisconsin System · USQualis Health · USUniversity of Alabama · US

Funding

UW COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER SUPPORTP30CA014520 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON · PI AMY TRENTHAM-DIETZ · 1985 to 2026
$142.6M
Central Neck Dissection in Patients with Clinical Node Negative Thyroid CancerR01CA176911 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON · PI CONNOR, NADINE P, SIPPEL, REBECCA S · 2014 to 2019
$1.8M
NCI NIH HHS P30 CA014520NCI NIH HHS R01 CA176911
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPapillary thyroid cancer is often described as the "good cancer" because of its treatability and relatively favorable survival rates. This study sought to characterize the thoughts of papillary thyroid cancer patients as they relate to having the "good cancer."

methodsThis qualitative study included 31 papillary thyroid cancer patients enrolled in an ongoing randomized trial. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants at the preoperative visit and two weeks, six weeks, six months, and one year after thyroidectomy. Grounded theory was used, inductively coding the first 113 interview transcripts with NVivo 11.

resultsThe concept of thyroid cancer as "good cancer" emerged unprompted from 94% (n = 29) of participants, mostly concentrated around the time of diagnosis. Patients encountered this perception from healthcare providers, Internet research, friends, and preconceived ideas about other cancers. While patients generally appreciated optimism, this perspective also generated negative feelings. It eased the diagnosis of cancer but created confusion when individual experiences varied from expectations. Despite initially feeling reassured, participants described feeling the "good cancer" characterization invalidated their fears of having cancer. Thyroid cancer patients expressed that they did not want to hear that it's "only thyroid cancer" and that it's "no big deal," because "cancer is cancer," and it is significant.

conclusionsPatients with papillary thyroid cancer commonly confront the perception that their malignancy is "good," but the favorable prognosis and treatability of the disease do not comprehensively represent their cancer fight. The "good cancer" perception is at the root of many mixed and confusing emotions. Clinicians emphasize optimistic outcomes, hoping to comfort, but they might inadvertently invalidate the impact thyroid cancer has on patients' lives.

Indexed as

EmotionsAdultAgedCarcinoma, PapillaryFearFemaleHumansInterviews as TopicMaleMiddle AgedPrognosisQualitative ResearchQuality of LifeThyroidectomyThyroid NeoplasmsYoung Adultgood cancerpapillary thyroid cancerpatient perspectivesqualitative researchthyroidectomy

Identifiers

PMID28510505
PMCPMC5561445
OpenAlexW2616241064

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

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.