Radiofrequency Ablation for Benign Symptomatic Thyroid Nodules in the Netherlands: Successful Introduction of a Minimally Invasive Treatment Option Improving Quality of Life.

PURPOSE: To determine whether adoption of radiofrequency (RF) ablation in patients with symptomatic benign thyroid nodules (SBTNs) in a Dutch regional thyroid network resulted in clinical success and improvement in health-related and thyroid-related quality of life (QoL). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The eligibility criteria for RF ablation were as follows: (a) nodule size between 2.0 and 5.0 cm, (b) solid component >20%; (c) benign cytology in 2 separate cytological assessments, and (d) symptoms unequivocally related to mechanical compression. The primary end point of this study was volume reduction 1 year after ablation. The secondary outcomes were health-related and thyroid-related QoL, measured using the short form health survey questionnaire (SF-36) and thyroid-specific patient-reported outcome questionnaire (ThyPRO-39), respectively, as well as adverse event rates. RESULTS: A total of 72 SBTNs in 67 patients were included. Median age was 50.0 (interquartile range, 41.0-56.0) years, and 91.0% were women. The median volume reduction at 6 weeks, 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years was 51.0%, 63.9%, 65.2%, 81.3%, and 90.3%, respectively. The patients showed a significant improvement on the SF-36 physical component scale and ThyPRO-39 overall QoL-impact scale. An absolute improvement was seen in goiter and cosmetic complaints, determined using ThyPRO-39. The overall adverse event rate was 9.0%, of which 4.5% were considered major. CONCLUSIONS: RF ablation is an effective treatment option for SBTNs, with a significant volume reduction and improvement in health-related and thyroid-related QoL.

Management of Postthyroidectomy Hypoparathyroidism and Its Effect on Hypocalcemia-Related Complications: A Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this Meta-analysis is to evaluate the impact of different treatment strategies for early postoperative hypoparathyroidism on hypocalcemia-related complications and long-term hypoparathyroidism. DATA SOURCES: Embase.com, MEDLINE, Web of Science Core Collection, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and the top 100 references of Google Scholar were searched to September 20, 2022. REVIEW METHODS: Articles reporting on adult patients who underwent total thyroidectomy which specified a treatment strategy for postthyroidectomy hypoparathyroidism were included. Random effect models were applied to obtain pooled proportions and 95% confidence intervals. Primary outcome was the occurrence of major hypocalcemia-related complications. Secondary outcome was long-term hypoparathyroidism. RESULTS: Sixty-six studies comprising 67 treatment protocols and 51,096 patients were included in this Meta-analysis. In 8 protocols (3806 patients), routine calcium and/or active vitamin D medication was given to all patients directly after thyroidectomy. In 49 protocols (44,012 patients), calcium and/or active vitamin D medication was only given to patients with biochemically proven postthyroidectomy hypoparathyroidism. In 10 protocols (3278 patients), calcium and/or active vitamin D supplementation was only initiated in case of clinical symptoms of hypocalcemia. No patient had a major complication due to postoperative hypocalcemia. The pooled proportion of long-term hypoparathyroidism was 2.4% (95% confidence interval, 1.9-3.0). There was no significant difference in the incidence of long-term hypoparathyroidism between the 3 supplementation groups. CONCLUSIONS: All treatment strategies for postoperative hypocalcemia prevent major complications of hypocalcemia. The early postoperative treatment protocol for postthyroidectomy hypoparathyroidism does not seem to influence recovery of parathyroid function in the long term.

Regional Collaboration and Trends in Clinical Management of Thyroid Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: This study examines the trends in the management of thyroid cancer and clinical outcomes in the Southwestern region of The Netherlands from 2010 to 2021, where a regional collaborative network has been implemented in January 2016. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: This study encompasses all patients diagnosed with thyroid cancer of any subtype between January 2010 and June 2021 in 10 collaborating hospitals in the Southwestern region of The Netherlands. METHODS: The primary outcome of this study was the occurrence of postoperative complications. Secondary outcomes were trends in surgical management, centralization, and waiting times of patients with thyroid cancer. RESULTS: This study included 1186 patients with thyroid cancer. Median follow-up was 58 [interquartile range: 24-95] months. Surgery was performed in 1027 (86.6%) patients. No differences in postoperative complications, such as long-term hypoparathyroidism, permanent recurrent nerve paresis, or reoperation due to bleeding were seen over time. The percentage of patients with low-risk papillary thyroid carcinoma referred to the academic hospital decreased from 85% (n = 120/142) in 2010 to 2013 to 70% (n = 120/171) in 2014 to 2017 and 62% (n = 100/162) in 2018 to 2021 (P < .01). The percentage of patients undergoing a hemithyroidectomy alone was 9% (n = 28/323) in 2010 to 2013 and increased to 20% (n = 63/317; P < .01) in 2018 to 2021. CONCLUSION: The establishment of a regional oncological network coincided with a de-escalation of thyroid cancer treatment and centralization of complex patients and interventions. However, no differences in postoperative complications over time were observed. Determining the impact of regional oncological networks on quality of care is challenging in the absence of uniform quality indicators.

Deescalating Follow-up After Hemithyroidectomy for Patients With Low-risk Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma.

Importance: Structural recurrent disease (RD) after surgical treatment of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (mPTC) is rare. We hypothesized that the RD rate after hemithyroidectomy in low-risk patients with mPTC is low. Objective: To assess the occurrence of RD in Dutch patients with mPTC who received surgical treatment according to the Dutch guidelines. Design, Setting, and Participants: This nationwide retrospective cohort study included all patients who had undergone surgery with a diagnosis of cN0/cNx mPTC in the Netherlands between January 2000 and December 2020 were identified from the Netherlands Cancer Registry database. Patients with preoperative lymph node metastases were excluded. Two groups were defined: group 1 (incidental), mPTC in pathology report after thyroid surgery for another indication; and group 2 (nonincidental), patients with a preoperative highly suspect thyroid nodule (Bethesda 5) or proven mPTC (Bethesda 6). Dutch guidelines state that a hemithyroidectomy is sufficient in patients with unifocal, intrathyroidal mPTC. Main Outcomes and Measures: The occurrence of RD in patients with low-risk mPTC after hemithyroidectomy. Results: In total, 1636 patients with mPTC were included. Patients had a median (IQR) follow-up time of 71 (32-118) months. Median (IQR) age at time of diagnosis was 51 (41-61) years and 1292 (79.0%) were women. Overall, RD after initial treatment was seen in 25 patients (1.5%). The median (IQR) time to RD was 8.2 (3.6-16.5) months and 22 of the 25 (88%) patients developed RD within 2 years. Recurrent disease was not significantly different between both groups (group 1, n = 15 [1.3%]; group 2, n = 10 [2.1%]; difference, 0.8%; 95% CI, -0.5% to 2.5%). Of the 484 patients with nonincidental mPTC (group 2), 246 (50.8%) patients were treated with a hemithyroidectomy and follow-up in accordance with Dutch guidelines. Lymph node metastases were found in 1 of 246 (0.4%) patients after hemithyreoidectomy, and new mPTC in the contralateral thyroid was detected in 3 of 246 (1.2%) patients. Median (IQR) follow-up of this patient group was 37 (18-71) months. The 10-year probability of RD was 1.3% for patients without vascular invasion and 24.4% for patients with vascular invasion. Conclusions and Relevance: This nationwide cohort study found that overall, RD after hemithyroidectomy for patients with low-risk mPTC was rare (<2%). Based on these results, it seems reasonable to deescalate follow-up of patients with low-risk mPTC without vascular invasion after hemithyroidectomy. From a health care perspective, deescalation of follow-up may contribute to increased sustainability and accessibility to health care, both large challenges for the future.

Establishing a Multicenter Network for Patients With Thyroid Nodules and Cancer: Effects on Referral Patterns.

OBJECTIVE: To perform a qualitative evaluation of the Thyroid Network, with a quantitative analysis of second opinion referrals for patients in the southwestern part of the Netherlands who have thyroid nodules and cancer. METHODS: This prospective observational study registered all patients with thyroid nodules and cancer who were referred to the academic hospital from 2 years before and 4 years after the foundation of the Thyroid Network. We implemented biweekly regional multidisciplinary tumor boards using video conference and a regional patient care pathway for patients with thyroid nodules and cancer. For qualitative evaluation, interviews were conducted with a broad selection of stakeholders via maximum variation sampling. The primary outcome was the change in second opinions after the foundation of the Thyroid Network. RESULTS: Second opinions from Thyroid Network hospitals to the academic hospital decreased from 10 (30%) to 2 (7%) two years after the start of the Thyroid Network (P = .001), while patient referrals remained stable (n = 108 to 106). Qualitative evaluation indicated that the uniform care pathway and the regional multidisciplinary tumor board were valued high. DISCUSSION: Establishing a regional network, including multidisciplinary tumor boards and a care pathway for patients with thyroid nodules and cancer, resulted in a decrease in second opinions of in-network hospitals and high satisfaction of participating specialists. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The concept of the Thyroid Network could spread to other regions as well as to other specialties in health care. Future steps would be to assess the effect of regional collaboration on quality of care and patient satisfaction.

[Radiofrequency ablation of benign thyroid nodules; an alternative treatment option to surgery]. / Radiofrequente ablatie van benigne schildkliernodus.

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a technique that uses a needle to generate local thermal energy. This minimally invasive technique is used in patients with a symptomatic benign thyroid nodule, so that surgical resection can be avoided. There is now scientific evidence that RFA can reduce the volume of the benign symptomatic thyroid nodule and contributes to a significant reduction of complaints. RFA is also included in international guidelines as an alternative treatment option for patients with a symptomatic benign thyroid nodule, in addition to surgery.

Persistent post-thyroidectomy hypoparathyroidism: A multicenter retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The reported incidence of persistent hypoparathyroidism varies widely, and consensus on a definition is lacking. The objective was to evaluate the real-life incidence of persistent hypoparathyroidism by investigating a new pragmatic definition. METHODS: This retrospective multicenter cohort study evaluated the effect of different definitions for persistent hypoparathyroidism on the incidence of hypoparathyroidism. In addition, risk factors for hypoparathyroidism were analyzed. RESULTS: In total, 749 patients were included. Using the new pragmatic definition, we report an incidence of 7.9% of persistent hypoparathyroidism. When applying other commonly used definitions, incidence varied between 11.8% and 22.1%. Risk factors were parathyroid autotransplantation, presence of another surgical complication, and low postoperative serum calcium. CONCLUSIONS: Our data show that the incidence of persistent hypoparathyroidism in the literature may vary through the use of different definitions. This study indicates that a new pragmatic definition of persistent hypoparathyroidism has the potential to enable unbiased comparison between studies.

Assessment of Radiofrequency Ablation for Papillary Microcarcinoma of the Thyroid: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

IMPORTANCE: Papillary microcarcinomas of the thyroid (mPTCs) account for an increasing proportion of thyroid cancers in past decades. The use of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has been investigated as an alternative to surgery. The effectiveness and safety of RFA has yet to be determined. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of RFA for low-risk mPTC. DATA SOURCES: Embase, MEDLINE via Ovid, Web of Science Core Collection, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and the top 100 references of Google Scholar were searched from inception to May 28, 2021. STUDY SELECTION: Articles reporting on adult patients with mPTC treated with RFA were included. Studies that involved patients with pre-ablation lymph node or distant metastases, recurrence of disease, or extrathyroidal extension were excluded. Final article selection was conducted by multiple reviewers based on consensus. The proportion of eligible articles was 1%. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: This meta-analysis was conducted in accordance with the MOOSE guidelines. Random and fixed-effect models were applied to obtain pooled proportions and 95% CIs. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcome was the complete disappearance rate of mPTC. Secondary outcomes were tumor progression and complications. RESULTS: Fifteen studies were included in this meta-analysis. A total of 1770 patients (1379 women [77.9%]; mean [SD] age, 45.4 [11.4] years; age range, 42.5-66.0 years) with 1822 tumors were treated with RFA; 49 tumors underwent 1 additional RFA session and 1 tumor underwent 2 additional RFA sessions. Mean (SD) follow-up time was 33.0 (11.4) months (range, 6-131 months). The pooled complete disappearance rate at the end of follow-up was 79% (95% CI, 65%-94%). The overall tumor progression rate was 1.5% (n = 26 patients), local residual mPTC in the ablation area was found in 7 tumors (0.4%), new mPTC in the thyroid was found in 15 patients (0.9%), and 4 patients (0.2%) developed lymph node metastases during follow-up. No distant metastases were detected. Three major complications occurred (2 voice changes lasting >2 months and 1 cardiac arrhythmia). Minor complications were described in 45 patients. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that RFA is a safe and efficient method to treat selected low-risk mPTCs. Radiofrequency ablation could be envisioned as step-up treatment after local tumor growth under active surveillance for an mPTC or initial treatment in patients with mPTCs with anxiety about active surveillance.

Active Surveillance for Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma in a Population with Restrictive Diagnostic Workup Strategies.

Background: The worldwide incidence of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) has increased. Efforts to reduce overtreatment follow two approaches: limiting diagnostic workup of low-risk thyroid nodules and pursuing active surveillance (AS) after diagnosis of microscopic PTC (mPTC). However, most studies on AS have been performed in countries with a relatively high proportion of overdiagnosis and thus incidental mPTC. The role of AS in a population with a restrictive diagnostic workup protocol for imaging and fine-needle aspiration remains unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to describe the proportion and characteristics of patients with mPTC in the Netherlands and to describe the potential candidates for AS in a situation with restrictive diagnostic protocols since 2007. Methods: All operated patients with an mPTC in the Netherlands between 2005 and 2015 were identified from the Netherlands Cancer Registry database. Three groups were defined: (Group 1) mPTC with preoperative distant or lymph node metastases, (Group 2) mPTC in pathology report after thyroid surgery for another indication, and (Group 3) patients with a preoperative high suspicious thyroid nodule or proven mPTC (Bethesda 5 or 6). Only patients in Group 3 were considered potential candidates for AS. Results: A total of 1018 mPTC patients were identified. Group 1 consisted of 152 patients with preoperatively discovered metastases. Group 2 consisted of 667 patients, of whom 16 (2.4%) had lymph node metastases. There were 199 patients in Group 3, of whom 27 (13.6%) had lymph node metastases. After initial treatment in Group 3, 3.5% (7/199) of the patients had recurrence. Conclusions: Restrictive diagnostic workup strategies of patients with small thyroid nodules lead to limited patients eligible for AS and a higher incidence of lymph node metastases. We believe that there is limited additive value for AS in countries with restrictive diagnostic workup guidelines such as in the Netherlands. However, if an mPTC is encountered, AS can be offered on an individual basis.