Preoperative clinical and paraclinical features and neck lymph metastasis in patients with follicular thyroid cancer undergoing surgery in National Hospital of Endocrinology

Background: Follicular thyroid cancer has a low rate of lymph node metastasis compared to other types. However, cervical lymph node metastasis is a risk factor for recurrence and distant metastasis, affecting the patient's prognosis. The study aims to evaluate the clinicopathologic features and metastasis states of follicular thyroid carcinoma at National hospital of Endocrinology. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 64 follicular thyroid carcinoma patients treated by surgery at National hospital of Endocrinology from June 2017 to March 2019. Results: The mean age was 45,5 ± 13,1 and the female/male ratio was 15/1. Most patients presented with an asymptomatic and had a unilateral tumor with mean diameter was 15, 09 ± 8,42 mm. 73,4% of tumors were classifled as TIRADS 4 on ultrasound. FNA was not of great significance for diagnosis of follicular thyroid carcinoma with undetermined significance result in 40,6%. The overall rate of nodal metastasis was 29,7%, higher with cancer surgery in both lobes of the thyroid gland. Conclusions: Follicular thyroid cancer has a higher rate of cervical lymph node metastasis in patients aged 55 years and older, with tumors in both lobes and larger than 2 cm. However, cervical lymph node metastasis in follicular thyroid cancer is lower than in other thyroid cancers and cytology is not of high value in preoperative diagnosis.