Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39668225›Full record

SynthesisEuropean archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery2025

Outcomes and effectiveness of active surveillance for low-risk papillary thyroid carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Van Cuong Nguyen, Chang Myeon Song, Yong Bae Ji, Shinje Moon, Jung Hwan Park, Dong Sun Kim, Kyung Tae

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 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

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

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Guideline
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. 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

7 authors.

Van Cuong NguyenDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0836-3020
Chang Myeon SongDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5267-0135
Yong Bae JiDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0182-7865
Shinje MoonDepartment of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3298-3630
Jung Hwan ParkDepartment of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3941-4836
Dong Sun KimDepartment of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0272-6860
Kyung TaeDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea. kytae@hanyang.ac.kr.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0382-2072

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThis study aimed to evaluate the outcomes and effectiveness of active surveillance (AS) in patients with low-risk papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and compare them to those of immediate surgery (IS).

methodsA systematic review and meta-analysis, including 14 comparative studies and 7 noncomparative studies, was conducted, encompassing a total of 9,397 patients.

resultsAS was associated with lower rates of familial history of thyroid cancer, multiplicity, and overall mortality compared to IS. The disease progression rate during AS was 14.53% (95% CI, 9.59-21.43%), and the delayed surgery rate was 14.91% (95% CI, 8.35-25.21%). No thyroid cancer-related mortality was observed in either the AS and IS groups. Clinicopathological characteristics showed no significant differences between delayed surgery and IS, except for higher rates of extrathyroidal extension and multiplicity in the delayed surgery group. Overall complication and recurrence rates were higher in the delayed surgery group than in the IS group. Quality of life and anxiety levels were similar between AS and IS, except for interest in sex, where AS was more beneficial.

conclusionAS is a feasible and reliable option for managing low-risk PTC, with a relatively low rate of disease progression and no thyroid cancer-related mortality. However, AS should be undertaken with caution, given the higher rates of overall complications and recurrence in the delayed surgery group compared to the IS group. Further studies with larger sample sizes and long-term follow-up are needed to clarify the role and effectiveness of AS.

Indexed as

Thyroid Cancer, PapillaryThyroidectomyThyroid NeoplasmsWatchful WaitingDisease ProgressionHumansNeoplasm Recurrence, LocalQuality of LifeActive surveillanceMeta-analysisPapillary thyroid carcinomaSurgerySystematic review

Identifiers

PMID39668225

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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.