Objective To summarize the advance in targeted therapy for radioactive iodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer (RAIR-DTC). Method The literatures relevant to the targeted therapy for RAIR-DTC were reviewed and summarized. Results Targeted therapy for RAIR-DTC mainly included multi-kinase inhibitors suppressing angiogenesis and mutation-specific kinase inhibitors targeting specific mutations. Representative multi-kinase inhibitors such as sorafenib and lenvatinib, which significantly prolonged progression-free survival, had been approved to put into clinical use, though there were shortcomings such as adverse effects and resistance. Mutation-specific kinase inhibitors acted on targets such as RET, mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, phosphoinositide 3-kinase pathway respectively, with relatively small side effects, most of which had only been applied in clinical trials up to now. Conclusions Targeted therapy for RAIR-DTC has made rapid progress in recent years, filling the gap in treatment for RAIR-DTC. Further explorations and investigations are needed to establish a more effect and safer treatment mode.
ObjectiveTo investigate research advance on the value of B-type RAF kinase (BRAF) gene mutation assisted diagnosis of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) in thyroid nodule.MethodThe recent literatures on the BRAF gene mutation and its combination with fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in the diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid nodules and PTC were collected and reviewed.ResultsThe BRAFV600E gene mutation was the most common type of gene mutation in the genetic molecule of PTC. The combination of the FNAC and BRAF gene mutation detection could improve the diagnostic value of the benign and malignant thyroid nodules, especially the diagnostic accuracy of PTC. However, the negative detection of BRAF gene mutation did not rule out the possibility of PTC. It still remained controversial that the detection of BRAF gene mutation could differentiate between the benign and malignant thyroid nodules.ConclusionsBRAF gene mutation detection has different diagnostic values in different types of thyroid nodules. It has considerable diagnostic value in thyroid nodules with high BRAF mutation incidence (suspicious for malignancy, undetermined significance or follicular lesion of undetermined significance nodules) while presents false negative result in thyroid nodule with very low mutation incidence category to a large extent. BRAF gene detection might become a specific diagnostic molecular marker to promote diagnosis accuracy of PTC.
ObjectiveTo explore optimal current intensity for neural monitoring of vagus nerve and recurrent laryngeal nerve during the thyroid and parathyroid surgery, so that we can judge function, location, identify, and protect the nerve more effectively and more quickly. MethodA total of 100 patients who underwent thyroid or parathyroid operations by the same surgeon in West China Hospital, meanwhile accepted intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM), and 186 nerves at risk were enrolled in this study. According to the standardized process of nerve monitoring, we stimulated the vagus nerve with the current strength of 1-5 mA, and respectively stimulated laryngeal recurrent nerve with 1-3 mA indirectly and directly, and recorded the amplitude of electromyographic signal, and changes of heart rate and blood pressure during the process. The purpose was seeking the optimum current strength for each stage of IONM. ResultsIn 186 vagus nerves being tested, when monitoring the vagus nerve outside the carotid sheath, 109 vagus nerves (58.6%) sent out signals and got stable electromyography and warning tone with 1 mA, 164 (88.2%) vagus nerves had signals with 2 mA, 177 (95.2%) vagus nerves had signals with 3 mA, 182 (97.8%) vagus nerves had signals with 5 mA. Before and after the vagus nerve stimulation, heart rate and blood pressure of patients had no significant change. When directly monitoring the vagus nerve with 1 mA, V1 signals had no response in 2 vagus nerves (1.1%), V2 signals had no response in 9 vagus nerves (4.8%). But if the current intensity of stimulation was 2 mA or 3 mA, all patients got stable electromyographic signals. When searching for the laryngeal recurrent nerve, 92 (49.5%) got signals with 1 mA, 171 (91.9%) got signals with 2 mA, 184 (98.9%) got signals with 3 mA. When identifying laryngeal recurrent nerve and others, if the intensity of current was more than 2 mA, the current might conduct around and produce illusion. However, if the intensity of stimulation current was 1 mA, there's no electromyographic signal when we put the probe onto the tissue close to the laryngeal recurrent nerve. During identification of branches of laryngeal recurrent nerve with current strength of 1 mA, each electromyographic signal could be obtained. The chief branch into the throat produced the highest amplitude. The esophagus and trachea branch emg amplitude value was similar, equalling to 1/3-1/4 of the amplitude value in chief branch. ConclusionsWe suggest using current intensity of 5 mA on the surface of the carotid sheath to monitor the vagus nerve indirectly and obtain V1 signal, as an alternative to opening the carotid sheath. If fail, dissecting the carotid sheath, and using current intensity of 3 mA to monitor the vagus nerve directly; 3 mA is the optimal current intensity to search for the laryngeal recurrent nerve, and 1 mA is the optimal current intensity to identify the laryngeal recurrent nerve and its branches of esophagus and trachea, blood vessels, and so on.
目的探讨甲状腺功能亢进（简称甲亢）手术后出现骨饥饿综合征的发病机理。方法回顾性分析四川大学华西医院2009年收治的2例甲亢手术后严重低钙患者的临床资料。结果本组2例病例在甲亢手术后均出现了严重低钙血症，1例低镁血症; 2例病例手术前、后骨代谢碱性磷酸酶均有不同程度升高。结论甲亢手术后骨饥饿综合征是多因素造成的临床症状，所以对手术后低钙症状应给予正确分析和判断，并尽可能在问题出现前给予预测和处理。对于甲亢患者和绝经期女性在围手术期给予钙的补充，手术中注意保存甲状旁腺血供是减少骨饥饿综合征的最佳手段，甲亢手术后及时补钙是必要的。
ObjectiveTo explore the feasibility strategy for patients’ fast track after the operation of thyroid papillary carcinoma with no drainage tube application.MethodsPatients undergone the operation of thyroid papillary carcinoma from June 2017 to March 2018 were enrolled in this retrospective study. All patients were from the same medical teams composed with the same attending doctors. They were divided into two groups according to the drainage tube applied or not. Finally the incidence of postoperative hematoma, incisional infection, and subcutaneous effusion were compared between the two groups, while the length of stay, pain score after operation, and satisfaction of patients were also analyzed.ResultsThe incidences of postoperative hematoma, incisional infection, and subcutaneous effusion were totally similar between the two groups. While the length of stay and pain score were significantly shorter or lower, satisfaction of patients were higher in group of no drainage tube applied (P<0.05).ConclusionsThe operation of total thyroidectomy plus bilateral central lymph node dissection for papillary thyroid cancer without drainage tube will not increase the probability of complications such as hematoma, incisional infection and subcutaneous effusion. On the contrary, it can shorten hospitalization time, reduce wound pain and improve patient satisfaction in the concept of rapid rehabilitation.
ObjectiveTo explore the learning curve of endoscopic thyroidectomy using the gasless unilateral axillary approach for papillary thyroid microcarcinoma.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 51 patients diagnosed with papillary thyroid microcarcinoma who underwent an endoscopic thyroidectomy using a gasless unilateral axillary approach by the same surgeon from November 2019 to September 2020 in the Department of Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University. The cumulative sum (CUSUM) analysis was used to determine the learning curve of the technology, and the CUSUM learning curve was modeled by the best fit. The operative time, intraoperative blood loss, number of lymph nodes dissected, incidence of complications and postoperative hospital stay in different phases of the learning curve were compared.ResultsThe CUSUM fitting curve reached the top at the 18th case. As a cut-off point, the learning curve was divided into two stages: the learning improvement period and the proficiency period. The operative time of patients in the proficiency stage was significantly shorter than that in the learning improvement stage (P<0.05), and there were no statistically significant differences in other data of patients in the two stages (P>0.05).ConclusionThe CUSUM analysis method is used to accurately analyze the learning curve of endoscopic thyroidectomy using the gasless unilateral axillary approach for papillary thyroid microcarcinoma, indicating that the cumulative number of operations required to master this technique is 18 cases.
Objective To explore the effectiveness of detailed physiotherapy in perioperative rehabilitation of patients undergoing thyroid cancer surgery with lymph node dissection. Methods A total of 97 patients with thyroid malignancy who underwent surgical treatment in West China Hospital of Sichuan University between February and June 2021 were selected and randomly divided into the trial group (n=50) and the control group (n=47). The patients in the trial group received detailed physiotherapy, and the patients in the control group received routine perioperative rehabilitation. The degree of pain within the operation area and the degree of neck and shoulder discomfort associated with surgery within 4 weeks, and the scores of Neck Dissection Impairment Index 4 weeks after surgery were compared between the two groups. The pain score, which was non-normally distributed, was described by median (lower quartile, upper quartile) and compared by generalized estimation equation; the discomfort score and score of Neck Dissection Impairment Index, which were normally distributed, were described by mean ± standard deviation, and the former was compared by multivariate analysis of variance, and the latter was compared by Student’s t-test. Results In the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th week after surgery, the pain scores within the operation area were 2.2 (1.7, 3.3), 1.5 (1.0, 2.2), 1.5 (0.0, 2.3), and 0.0 (0.0, 1.2), respectively in the trial group, and 3.4 (2.7, 5.2), 2.6 (1.5, 3.5), 2.4 (1.1, 3.4), and 1.5 (1.1, 2.0), respectively in the control group; the surgery-related neck and shoulder discomfort scores were 8.72±4.14, 5.28±2.98, 5.89±2.78, and 3.57±1.83, respectively in the trial group, and 10.56±5.30, 7.54±4.51, 7.37±3.49, and 5.05±2.59, respectively in the control group. Within 4 weeks after operation, the surgical-area pain scores and surgery-related neck and shoulder discomfort scores in the trial group were lower than those in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (Wald χ2=28.826, P<0.001; F=7.695, P=0.007). In the post-operative week 4, the Neck Dissection Impairment Index in the trial group was higher than that in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (75.23±20.40 vs. 63.83±19.52; t=2.809, P=0.006). Conclusion For patients undergoing thyroid cancer surgery with lymph node dissection, detailed physiotherapy intervention is more effective than routine perioperative rehabilitation.
ObjectiveTo investigate the predictive value of pretracheal lymph node (Ⅵc) subdivision for contralateral central lymph node (CLN) metastasis in clinical lymph node negative (cN0) unilateral papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). MethodsThe data of patients with cN0 unilateral PTC who initially underwent total thyroidectomy and bilateral CLN dissection in the Department of Thyroid Surgery of West China Hospital, Sichuan University from July 2017 to June 2021 were collected retrospectively. The Ⅵc subdivision was divided into right anterior trachea (Ⅵc1) and left anterior trachea (Ⅵc2); If the lymph nodes crossed the middle line of trachea, which would be included in the side of cancer focus. ResultsA total of 175 patients were included in this study, and the incidences of lymph nodes metastasis in the prelaryngeal (Ⅵd), Ⅵc, ipsilateral Ⅵc, contralateral Ⅵc, ipsilateral central, and contralateral central regions were 54 cases (30.9%), 118 cases (67.4%), 85 cases (48.6%), 72 cases (41.1%), 108 cases (61.7%), and 43 cases (24.6%), respectively. The results of the univariate analysis found that the contralateral CLN metastasis was associated with the lymph node metastases of Ⅵd, Ⅵc, contralateral Ⅵc, and ipsilateral central regions; The results of the multivariate analysis found that the lymph node metastases of Ⅵd and contralateral Ⅵc regions increased the probability of contralateral CLN metastasis (OR=4.444, P<0.001; OR=6.655, P=0.001). ConclusionsFrom the results of the study,Ⅵc subdivision is reasonable and effective, and has a certain predictive value for the metastasis of contralateral CLN in cN0 unilateral papillary thyroid carcinoma. And bilateral CLN dissection should be recommended in patients with a positive intraoperative frozen section result of contralateral pretracheal lymph node metastasis.
Objective To explore the change of constitution in thyroid diseases of West China Hospital between 2000 and 2012， in order to provide clinical evidence. Methods Clinical data， including gender， age， and pathological diagnosis of patients with thyroid disease who underwent primary thyroid surgery in our hospital from 2000 to 2012 were collected retrospectively and analyzed statistically. Results A total of 9 642 patients were enrolled， including 1 893 male patients and 7 749 female patients. The ratio of male to female patients was 1 to 4.09. In male patients， the proportion of thyroid carcinoma were significantly higher than those of female group （P=0.02）；in male patients younger than 45 group， the proportion of thyroid carcinoma were significantly higher than those of female group （P＜0.01）. There was no statistical difference on the proportion between male and female patients older than 45 group （P=0.90）. Proportion of thyroid carcinoma， especially proportion of papillary thyroid carcinoma （PTC） increased in general. Proportion of Hashimoto thyroiditis （HT） increased in general too. HT with thyroid carcinoma accounted for an increasing proportion of all patients with HT. Proportion of nodular goiter （NG） increased at first and then declined. Proportion of thyroid adenoma （TA） decreased on the whole. Conclusions Proportion of thyroid carcinoma， especially proportion of PTC increase in recent years on the whole in patients underwent surgery. All these changes need to be given sufficient attention.