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07-07-2022 | Thyroidectomy | Original Article

Non-invasive follicular neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features: a challenging and infrequent entity in Argentina

Authors: Melina Sabán, Norma Tolaba, Ana María Orlandi, Susana Deutsch, Fabián Pitoia, Alicia Lowenstein, María Cristina Calabrese, Andrea Cavallo, Alejandro Iotti, Marcelo Monteros Alvi, Marcelo Nallar, Ana Jaén, Silvina Figurelli, Fernando Carrizo, Antonio Colobraro, Gabriela García Tascón, María Saccoliti, Andrea Paes de Lima, Melisa Lencioni, Inés Califano, Carmen Cabezón, on behalf of the Thyroid Department of Sociedad Argentina de Endocrinología y Metabolismo

Published in: Endocrine | Issue 3/2022

Abstract

Purpose

Non-invasive encapsulated follicular variant of papillary thyroid cancer was reclassified as non-invasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features (NIFTP). These neoplasms have an extremely low malignant potential. The aim of this study was (1) to assess the prevalence of NIFTP in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma, (2) to evaluate their outcomes, and (3) to determine their molecular profile.

Methods

Multicenter, descriptive, retrospective study. Patients with papillary thyroid cancer diagnosed from January 2006 to December 2016 from 11 referral centers were included. Diagnosis of NIFTP was based on criteria described by Nikiforov et al. in 2018. At least two pathologists agreed on the diagnosis. Two thousand six hundred and seventy-seven papillary thyroid cancer patients were included; 456 (17%) of them were follicular variant papillary thyroid cancer, and 30 (1.12%) fulfilled diagnostic criteria for NIFTP.

Results

Each of the 30 included patients underwent a total thyroidectomy, and 50% were treated with radioiodine (median dose 100 mCi). After a median follow-up of 37 months, 84% of patients had an excellent response, 3% had an indeterminate response and data was missing in the remaining 13%. No metastatic lymph nodes, distant metastases or recurrences were found. RAS mutations were detected in 4 patients (13%).

Conclusion

The prevalence of NIFTP in our series is amongst the lowest reported. Excellent outcomes of patients underscore their low malignant potential. Molecular findings differ from other series, probably related to environmental or ethnic features of our population and the meticulous criteria for diagnosing NIFTP.

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Title: Non-invasive follicular neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features: a challenging and infrequent entity in Argentina
Authors: Melina Sabán
Norma Tolaba
Ana María Orlandi
Susana Deutsch
Fabián Pitoia
Alicia Lowenstein
María Cristina Calabrese
Andrea Cavallo
Alejandro Iotti
Marcelo Monteros Alvi
Marcelo Nallar
Ana Jaén
Silvina Figurelli
Fernando Carrizo
Antonio Colobraro
Gabriela García Tascón
María Saccoliti
Andrea Paes de Lima
Melisa Lencioni
Inés Califano
Carmen Cabezón
on behalf of the Thyroid Department of Sociedad Argentina de Endocrinología y Metabolismo
Publication date: 07-07-2022
Publisher: Springer US
Keywords: Thyroidectomy
Thyroidectomy
Thyroid Cancer
Thyroid Cancer
Thyroid Cancer
Published in: Endocrine / Issue 3/2022
Print ISSN: 1355-008X
Electronic ISSN: 1559-0100
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-022-03115-7

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