Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38201637›Full record

ArticleCancers2024

Diffuse C-Cells Hyperplasia Is the Source of False Positive Calcitonin Measurement in FNA Washout Fluids of Thyroid Nodules: A Rational Clinical Approach to Avoiding Unnecessary Surgery.

Chiara Mura, Rossella Rodia, Silvia Corrias, Antonello Cappai, Maria Letizia Lai, Gian Luigi Canu, Fabio Medas, Pietro Giorgio Calò, Stefano Mariotti, Francesco Boi

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cancers, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
0.7field-weighted citation impact, top 30% 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

2 citing papers in PubMed, 2 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Histopathology of C Cells and Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma.Recent results in cancer research. Fortschritte der Krebsforschung. Progres dans les recherches sur le cancer · 2025
    Review
  2. Calcitonin as Biomarker for the Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma.Recent results in cancer research. Fortschritte der Krebsforschung. Progres dans les recherches sur le cancer · 2025
    Review
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 2 institutions in 1 country.

Chiara MuraEndocrinology Unit, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, 09100 Cagliari, Italy.ORCID 0009-0007-5925-1866
Rossella RodiaEndocrinology Unit, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, 09100 Cagliari, Italy.
Silvia CorriasEndocrinology Unit, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, 09100 Cagliari, Italy.ORCID 0009-0001-8050-9370
Antonello CappaiEndocrinology Unit, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, 09100 Cagliari, Italy.
Maria Letizia LaiPathology Unit, San Giovanni di Dio Hospital, 09100 Cagliari, Italy.
Gian Luigi CanuSurgery Unit, Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09100 Cagliari, Italy.
Fabio MedasSurgery Unit, Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09100 Cagliari, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-9546-0178
Pietro Giorgio CalòSurgery Unit, Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09100 Cagliari, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-9637-1145
Stefano MariottiEndocrinology Unit, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, 09100 Cagliari, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-1208-7057
Francesco BoiEndocrinology Unit, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, 09100 Cagliari, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-9924-5192
University of Cagliari · ITNuovo Ospedale San Giovanni di Dio · IT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThe FNA-CT is useful for the diagnosis of MTC. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of FNA-CT in TNs coexisting with CCH.

methodsThis study retrospectively reviewed the records of 11 patients with TNs submitted to thyroidectomy on the basis of elevated basal and/or stimulated serum CT values, which at histology were not confirmed to be MTC. The results obtained in this group were compared with those of a previously reported group of histologically proven MTC patients submitted to an identical presurgical evaluation. All patients, negative for known mutations in the RET proto-oncogene, were preoperatively submitted to neck ultrasound, FNA-cytology, and FNA-CT.

resultsApproximately 6 of 11 patients showed increased (>36 ng/mL, as established in previous studies not involving patients with CCH) FNA-CT. All these patients showed diffuse CCH at histology in the thyroid lobe submitted to FNA; 5 of them were benign at histology, while only one was malignant (papillary thyroid carcinoma, PTC). The remaining 5 of 11 patients had low FNA-CT (<36 ng/mL), and all of them showed only focal CCH in the lobe submitted to FNA; three of them were malignant (2 PTC, 1 follicular carcinoma), while two were benign.

conclusionsEmploying the currently proposed cut-off values, false-positive FNA-CT results may be observed in benign/malignant TNs with coexisting diffuse CCH. FNA-CT must therefore be cautiously used in the diagnostic approach for patients with TNs and a slightly increased basal or stimulated serum CT concentration in order to avoid unnecessary surgery.

Indexed as

calcitoninCCHFNA-CTMTCthyroidectomy

Identifiers

PMID38201637
PMCPMC10777925
OpenAlexW4390506987

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.