Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42126731›Full record

SynthesisJournal of robotic surgery2026

Longitudinal health-related quality of life after remote-access versus open thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Qian Ma, Jinyuan Liu, Longyue Zhang, Chao Li, Yongcong Cai, Yuqiu Zhou, Chunyan Shui, Yan Yang, Sicheng Zhang, Ronghao Sun

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-AnalysisComparative Study
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of robotic surgery, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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.

Qian MaDepartment of Head and Neck Surgery, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, No.55, Section 4, Renmin South Road, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
Jinyuan LiuDepartment of Head and Neck Surgery, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, No.55, Section 4, Renmin South Road, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
Longyue ZhangDepartment of Head and Neck Surgery, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, No.55, Section 4, Renmin South Road, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
Chao LiDepartment of Head and Neck Surgery, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, No.55, Section 4, Renmin South Road, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
Yongcong CaiDepartment of Head and Neck Surgery, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, No.55, Section 4, Renmin South Road, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
Yuqiu ZhouDepartment of Head and Neck Surgery, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, No.55, Section 4, Renmin South Road, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
Chunyan ShuiDepartment of Head and Neck Surgery, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, No.55, Section 4, Renmin South Road, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
Yan YangDepartment of Head and Neck Surgery, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, No.55, Section 4, Renmin South Road, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
Sicheng ZhangDepartment of Head and Neck Surgery, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, No.55, Section 4, Renmin South Road, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China. zhangsicheng@scszlyy.org.cn.
Ronghao SunDepartment of Head and Neck Surgery, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, No.55, Section 4, Renmin South Road, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China. sunronghao@scszlyy.org.cn.

Funding

Clinical Research Project of Sichuan Provincial Health Commission 24LCYJZD06Key Clinical Specialty Development Program of Sichuan Province 2023GPWKP001National Natural Science Foundation of China 82504046Noncommunicable Chronic Diseases-National Science and Technology Major Project 2024ZD0525600
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

As remote-access thyroidectomy (RAT) becomes more widely used, evidence on patient- reported outcomes, particularly health-related quality of life (HRQoL), remains scarce and inconsistent. This meta-analysis compared postoperative HRQoL between thyroid cancer (TC) patients undergoing RAT and open thyroidectomy (OT) and assessed changes over time. A comprehensive search of five major databases was conducted from inception to August 2025. Studies reporting HRQoL after RAT or OT were included. Outcomes were grouped by postoperative timepoints. Outcomes were stratified across distinct postoperative timepoints to calculate pooled standardized mean difference (SMD) or mean difference (MD). Heterogeneity was explored through rigorous subgroup analyses encompassing surgical modalities, countries, and assessment instruments. Forty-one studies met the inclusion criteria, and 29 records were included in the quantitative synthesis. RAT demonstrated early advantages in comprehensive quality of life at 1 month and 3 months, and these advantages dissipated long term. Pain trajectories exhibited a biphasic pattern: RAT was associated with lower pain scores on postoperative day 1 but paradoxically higher scores during the 1-2 week period, with subsequent convergence. Cosmetic satisfaction and swallowing function consistently favored RAT from 1-2 weeks through 6 months, while voice outcomes showed no discernible differences. RAT appears to confer selected short- to medium-term patient-reported advantages over OT, particularly in cosmetic satisfaction and swallowing function. But these benefits are heterogeneous and not consistently maintained across all domains or timepoints. Future studies should standardize cross-culturally validated PRO instruments and adopt harmonized follow-up intervals and reporting guidelines to clarify the patient-centered value of RAT.

Indexed as

Quality of LifeThyroidectomyThyroid NeoplasmsHumansPatient Reported Outcome MeasuresPatient SatisfactionHealth-related quality of lifePatient-reported outcomeRemote-access thyroidectomyThyroid cancer

Identifiers

PMID42126731

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.