Making Choices: A Multi-institutional, Longitudinal Cohort Study Assessing Changes in Treatment Outcome Valuation for Low-Risk Thyroid Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relative importance of treatment outcomes to patients with low-risk thyroid cancer (TC). SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Overuse of total thyroidectomy (TT) for low-risk TC is common. Emotions from a cancer diagnosis may lead patients to choose TT resulting in outcomes that do not align with their preferences. METHODS: Adults with clinically low-risk TC enrolled in a prospective, multi-institutional, longitudinal cohort study from 11/2019-6/2021. Participants rated treatment outcomes at the time of their surgical decision and again 9 months later by allocating 100 points amongst 10 outcomes. T-tests and Hotelling's T 2 statistic compared outcome valuation within and between subjects based on chosen extent of surgery (TT vs. lobectomy). RESULTS: Of 177 eligible patients, 125 participated (70.6% response) and 114 completed the 9-month follow-up (91.2% retention). At the time of the treatment decision, patients choosing TT valued the risk of recurrence more than those choosing lobectomy and the need to take thyroid hormone less ( P <0.05). At repeat valuation, all patients assigned fewer points to cancer being removed and the impact of treatment on their voice, and more points to energy levels ( P <0.05). The importance of the risk of recurrence increased for those who chose lobectomy and decreased for those choosing TT ( P <0.05). CONCLUSION: The relative importance of treatment outcomes changes for patients with low-risk TC once the outcome has been experienced to favor quality of life over emotion-related outcomes. Surgeons can use this information to discuss the potential for asthenia or changes in energy levels associated with total thyroidectomy.

Thyroid Cancer-Related Fear & Anxiety in Patients With Benign Thyroid Nodules: A Mixed-Methods Study.

INTRODUCTION: Thyroid cancer diagnosis often evokes strong negative emotions in patients, yet little is understood about such responses in those with benign thyroid nodules. This study explored the impact of a hypothetical cancer diagnosis, the provision of treatment information, and emotional support from surgeons on patients with benign nodules. METHODS: Patients within 30 d of a thyroid nodule biopsy were asked to imagine their nodule was cancerous and write down their feelings about this diagnosis. They then viewed a video depicting a patient-surgeon discussion of thyroid cancer treatment options, with or without added emotional support (1:1 randomized allocation). Validated measures assessed anxiety and thyroid cancer-related fear before and after video-viewing. Thematic analysis evaluated participants' feelings about the hypothetical diagnosis. RESULTS: Of 221 eligible patients, 118 participated (53.4%). While participants state anxiety increased after performing the thought exercise and watching the video (9 [6, 11]-12 [8, 14]; P < 0.001), thyroid cancer-related fear decreased over the same period (27 [22, 30]-25 [20, 29]; P < 0.001). Emotional support by the surgeon in the video did not affect anxiety or fear. Themes that emerged from participants imagining they have thyroid cancer included information seeking, trust in medicine, cancer experience, thyroid cancer knowledge, apprehension about surgery, and impact on family. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with recently diagnosed benign thyroid nodules experience heightened anxiety when contemplating thyroid cancer. Provision of treatment and disease information mitigates cancer-related fear, while emotional support does not. Offering patients with thyroid nodules information about thyroid cancer before biopsy may offer emotional benefits.

Developing a large-scale quality improvement program for thyroid cancer surgery.

BACKGROUND: Surgical quality improvement (QI) plays a critical role in optimizing patient outcomes and reducing healthcare costs. QI programs focusing specifically on thyroid cancer surgical care are lacking. This study aimed to (a) select and introduce surgical quality indicators for thyroid cancer and (b) identify areas for QI at the state-level. METHODS: A multidisciplinary team of thyroid cancer and QI experts selected 10 thyroid cancer-specific quality indicators and assessed the quality of thyroid cancer surgical care compared to current national guidelines. Analysis of the first year (January-December 2023) of data collection was performed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: The thyroid cancer quality indicators included preoperative cytology, postoperative pathology, staging, cancer size, margin status, extrathyroidal extension, lymph nodes, postoperative complications within 30 days, documented follow-up treatment, and documented surveillance plans. 112 surgeons performed 360 thyroidectomies for thyroid cancer at 51 hospitals. Preoperative cytology was not performed in 34.3% (n = 103) of cases with thyroid cancer on final pathology. When the extent of surgery was evaluated by papillary cancer size, 50.0% (n = 38) of patients with <1 cm cancers underwent total thyroidectomy, and 13.8% (n = 4) with >4 cm underwent thyroid lobectomy. Positive margins were found in 16.2% (n = 53). Postoperatively, 19.2% (n = 69) of patients lacked documented follow-up, and 18.6% (n = 67) lacked thyroid cancer surveillance plans. CONCLUSIONS: Establishing a dedicated QI program for thyroid cancer provides a previously unharnessed opportunity to enhance the quality of thyroid cancer surgical care. Statewide surgical quality collaboratives offer a model for establishing thyroid cancer QI initiatives across diverse healthcare settings in other states and countries.

Examining National Guideline Changes Association With Hemithyroidectomy Rates by Surgeon Volume.

INTRODUCTION: The 2015 American Thyroid Association (ATA) guidelines established that hemithyroidectomy (HT) is an appropriate treatment for patients with low-risk thyroid cancer. HT rates increased since the ATA guidelines were released; however, the relationship between surgeon volume and the initial extent of surgery has not been established. METHODS: A statewide database was used to identify patients with thyroid cancer who underwent initial thyroidectomy from 2013 to 2020. High-volume thyroid surgeons were defined as those who performed >25 thyroid procedures per year. A mixed-effect logistic model was used to compare low- and high-volume surgeons' initial extent of surgery pre-2015 and post-2015 ATA guidelines. Descriptive statistics were used to describe other surgical outcomes. RESULTS: The analysis included 3199 patients with thyroid cancer who underwent initial thyroidectomy. Twenty-four surgeons (6%) were considered high-volume; they performed 48% (n = 1349) of the operations. After the 2015 ATA guidelines were released, the rate of HT increased significantly for low- (23% to 28%, P = 0.042) but not high-volume (19% to 23%, P = 0.149) surgeons. Low-volume surgeons had significantly higher rates of readmission (P = 0.008), re-operation (P = 0.030), complications (P < 0.001), and emergency room visits (P = 0.002) throughout the entire study period. CONCLUSIONS: The publication of the 2015 ATA guidelines was associated with a significant increase in HT rates, primarily in low-volume thyroid surgeons. While low-volume surgeons began performing more HTs, they continued to have higher rates of readmission, reoperations, complications, and emergency room visits than high-volume surgeons.

Radical antegrade modular pancreatosplenectomy (RAMPS): does adrenalectomy alter outcomes?

BACKGROUND: Radical antegrade modular pancreatosplenectomy (RAMPS) has oncologic superiority compared to a standard distal pancreatectomy (DP). For tumors invading into the adrenal gland, a posterior RAMPS takes the left adrenal gland en bloc with the pancreas specimen. The aim of this analysis is to determine whether addition of adrenalectomy alters the outcomes of DP. METHODS: The American College of Surgeons (ACS) National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) Procedure-Targeted Pancreatectomy database was accessed from 2014 to 2019. Patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) undergoing posterior RAMPS were compared to patients having a standard DP. 30-day outcomes were analyzed using multivariable regression. RESULTS: 3467 PDAC patients underwent DP; 159 (4.6%) also had an adrenalectomy. Posterior RAMPS patients had higher T stage (T3-4 77% vs. 58%, p < 0.01). On multivariable analysis, posterior RAMPS patients had worse perioperative outcomes including more transfusions (OR 2.78, p < 0.01), serious morbidity (OR 1.45, p = 0.04), prolonged hospital stay (OR 1.36, p < 0.05), and less optimal pancreatic surgery (OR 0.61, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Radical antegrade modular pancreatosplenectomy with adrenalectomy (posterior RAMPS) is associated with worse perioperative outcomes compared to a standard distal pancreatectomy. Improved oncologic outcomes must be weighed against higher perioperative morbidity when selecting patients for this more extensive surgical resection.

Evaluating Discrimination of ACS-NSQIP Surgical Risk Calculator in Thyroidectomy Patients.

BACKGROUND: The ACS-NSQIP surgical risk calculator (SRC) often guides preoperative counseling, but the rarity of complications in certain populations causes class imbalance, complicating risk prediction. We aimed to compare the performance of the ACS-NSQIP SRC to other classical machine learning algorithms trained on NSQIP data, and to demonstrate challenges and strategies in predicting such rare events. METHODS: Data from the NSQIP thyroidectomy module ys 2016 - 2018 were used to train logistic regression, Ridge regression and Random Forest classifiers for predicting 2 different composite outcomes of surgical risk (systemic and thyroidectomy-specific). We implemented techniques to address imbalanced class sizes and reported the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUC) for each classifier including the ACS-NSQIP SRC, along with sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) at a 5% - 15% predicted risk threshold. RESULTS: Of 18,078 included patients, 405 (2.24%) patients suffered systemic complications and 1670 (9.24%) thyroidectomy-specific complications. Logistic regression performed best for predicting systemic complication risk (AUC 0.723 [0.658 - 0.778]); Random Forest with RUSBoost performed best for predicting thyroidectomy-specific complication risk (0.702; 0.674 - 0.726). The addition of optimizations for class imbalance improved performance for all classifiers. CONCLUSIONS: Complications are rare after thyroidectomy even when considered as composite outcomes, and class imbalance poses a challenge in surgical risk prediction. Using the SRC as a classifier where intervention occurs above a certain validated threshold, rather than citing the numeric estimates of complication risk, should be considered in low-risk patients.

Time Heals Most Wounds - Perceptions of Thyroidectomy Scars in Patients With Thyroid Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Patients understandably have concerns about thyroidectomy scars. This study aimed to characterize patients' perceptions of their thyroidectomy scar before and up to 1-y after surgery. METHODS: Patients with papillary thyroid cancer (n = 83) completed semi-structured interviews before and at 2-wks, 6-Wk, 6-mo, and 1-y post-thyroidectomy. Interviews probed about scar concerns and appearance. Content analysis was used to identify themes. RESULTS: The majority of participants did not express concerns about scar appearance. When expressed, preoperative concerns often stemmed from previous surgery experiences or unease with neck incisions. Postoperatively, concerns about scar appearance decreased over time throughout the healing period with most patients being satisfied with their scar appearance by 6-mo after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with papillary thyroid cancer express few concerns about scar thyroidectomy appearance. Surgeons can reassure patients who have preoperative concerns that most patients are satisfied with their scar appearance by 6-mo after surgery.

Thyroid Lobectomy for Low-Risk Papillary Thyroid Cancer: A National Survey of Low- and High-Volume Surgeons.

BACKGROUND: The 2015 American Thyroid Association guidelines endorsed lobectomy for patients with low-risk papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) measuring 1-4 cm. Attitudes about the use of lobectomy for these patients are lacking, particularly from low-volume surgeons who perform the majority of thyroidectomies in the US. METHODS: A survey was mailed to 1000 surgeons stratified by specialty (500 general surgeons and 500 otolaryngologists) registered with the American Medical Association, to evaluate beliefs and practices about the extent of surgery for low-risk PTC. Comparisons examined differences by surgeon volume. RESULTS: Of 320 respondents who have performed thyroidectomy since 2015 (150 general surgeons, 170 otolaryngologists), 206 (64.4%) were low volume (< 26 thyroidectomies/year). The proportion of surgeons recommending lobectomy for low-risk PTC measuring 1.1 to < 4 cm ranged from 43.1 to 2.6%. High-volume surgeons recommended lobectomy more frequently for PTC measuring 1.1-3 cm, although this was not statistically significant. Thirty-three percent of respondents believed lobectomy is underused for low-risk PTC, while 10.0% believed it is overused. Additionally, 19.6% of respondents believed recurrence is more likely after lobectomy than total thyroidectomy, and 3.3% believed mortality is higher. Few believed quality of life is better after lobectomy (12.3%). Low-volume surgeons were less likely to be aware guidelines support lobectomy for low-risk PTC 1-4 cm (p < 0.001) and less likely to use clinical practice guidelines (p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Most surgeons do not support lobectomy for patients with low-risk PTC > 1 cm. Awareness of guidelines and concerns about increased risk of recurrence after lobectomy may drive surgeons' preference for total thyroidectomy.

Active surveillance for thyroid Cancer: a qualitative study of barriers and facilitators to implementation.

BACKGROUND: The 2015 American Thyroid Association guidelines supported active surveillance (AS) as a strategy for managing select low-risk thyroid cancers. Data examining physicians' attitudes about the acceptability of this option are limited. This study aimed to characterize the barriers and facilitators to implementing AS as perceived by practicing endocrinologists and surgeons in the United States. METHODS: We conducted 24 semi-structured interviews probing physicians' attitudes toward AS for patients with small, low-risk thyroid cancer. We used deductive content analysis guided by a well-known model of guideline implementation. Analysis characterized concepts and themes related to AS implementation as physician, guideline, or external factors. We performed member checking to validate results. RESULTS: The most prominent barriers to AS were related to physician factors, although guideline-specific and external barriers were also observed. Physician attitudes towards AS comprised the majority of physician-related barriers, while lack of knowledge about the guideline was also discussed. Participants' concerns about the potential negative outcomes resulting from observing a cancer were notable as were the lack of confidence in performing and offering surveillance. Beliefs about patient expectations and lack of knowledge about the guideline were also identified as barriers to offering surveillance. Guideline-specific and external barriers included the vagueness of surveillance protocols, lack of data supporting active surveillance, and societal beliefs about cancer. Facilitators of active surveillance included patients' desire to avoid surgery and shared decision-making. CONCLUSIONS: Barriers and facilitators of active surveillance for low-risk thyroid cancers exist at multiple levels. Strategies to increase adoption of active surveillance should focus on physicians' attitudes, patient expectations, data supporting surveillance outcomes, and promoting societal-level acceptance of surveillance.

NATIONAL SURVEY OF ENDOCRINOLOGISTS AND SURGEONS REGARDING ACTIVE SURVEILLANCE FOR LOW-RISK PAPILLARY THYROID CANCER.

OBJECTIVE: Active surveillance for low-risk papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) was endorsed by the American Thyroid Association guidelines in 2015. The attitudes and beliefs of physicians treating thyroid cancer regarding the active surveillance approach are not known. METHODS: A national survey of endocrinologists and surgeons treating thyroid cancer was conducted from August to September 2017 via professional society emails. This mixed-methods analysis reported attitudes toward potential factors impacting decision-making regarding active surveillance, beliefs about barriers and facilitators of its use, and reasons why physicians would pick a given management strategy for themselves if they were diagnosed with a low-risk PTC. Survey items about attitudes and beliefs were derived from the Cabana model of barriers to guideline adherence and theoretical domains framework of behavior change. RESULTS: Among 345 respondents, 324 (94%) agreed that active surveillance was appropriate for at least some patients, 81% agreed that active surveillance was at least somewhat underused, and 76% said that they would choose surgery for themselves if diagnosed with a PTC of ≤1 cm. Majority of the respondents believed that the guidelines supporting active surveillance were too vague and that the current supporting evidence was too weak. Malpractice and financial concerns were identified as additional barriers to offering active surveillance. The respondents endorsed improved information resources and evidence as possible facilitators to offering active surveillance. CONCLUSION: Although there is general support among physicians who treat low-risk PTC for the active surveillance approach, there is reluctance to offer it because of the lack of robust evidence, guidelines, and protocols.

Online Information for Treatment for Low-Risk Thyroid Cancer: Assessment of Timeliness, Content, Quality, and Readability.

The Internet is a key source of health information, yet little is known about resources for low-risk thyroid cancer treatment. We examined the timeliness, content, quality, readability, and reference to the 2015 American Thyroid Association (ATA) guidelines in websites about thyroid cancer treatment. We identified the top 60 websites using Google, Bing, and Yahoo for "thyroid cancer." Timeliness and content analysis identified updates in the ATA guidelines (n = 6) and engaged a group of stakeholders to develop essential items (n = 29) for making treatment decisions. Website quality and readability analysis used 4 validated measures: DISCERN; Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria; Health on the Net Foundation certification (HONcode); and the Suitability Assessment of Materials (SAM) method. Of the 60 websites, 22 were unique and investigated. Content analysis revealed zero websites contained all updates from the ATA guidelines and rarely (18.2%) referenced them. Only 31.8% discussed all 3 treatment options: total thyroidectomy, lobectomy, and active surveillance. Websites discussed 28.2% of the 29 essential items for making treatment decisions. Quality analysis with DISCERN showed "fair" scores overall. Only 29.9% of the JAMA benchmarks were satisfied, and 40.9% were HONcode certified. Readability analysis with the SAM method found adequate readability, yet 90.9% scored unsuitable in literacy demand. The overall timeliness, content, quality, and readability of websites about low-risk thyroid cancer treatment is fair and needs improvement. Most websites lack updates from the 2015 ATA guidelines and information about treatment options that are necessary to make informed decisions.

A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial: No Clear Benefit to Prophylactic Central Neck Dissection in Patients With Clinically Node Negative Papillary Thyroid Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this prospective randomized-controlled trial was to evaluate the risks/benefits of prophylactic central neck dissection (pCND) in patients with clinically node negative (cN0) papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). BACKGROUND: Microscopic lymph node involvement in patients with PTC is common, but the optimal management is unclear. METHODS: Sixty patients with cN0 PTC were randomized to a total thyroidectomy (TT) or a TT+ pCND. All patients received postoperative laryngoscopies and standardized radioiodine treatment. Thyroglobulin (Tg) levels and/or neck ultrasounds were performed at 6 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year. RESULTS: Tumors averaged 2.2 ±â€Š0.2 cm and 11.9% had extra-thyroidal extension. Thirty patients underwent a pCND and 27.6% had positive nodes (all ≤6 mm). Rates of postoperative PTH < 10 (33.3% vs 24.1%, P = 0.57) and transient nerve dysfunction (13.3% vs 10.3%, P = 1.00) were not significantly different between groups. Six weeks after surgery, both TT and TT + pCND were equally likely to achieve a Tg < 0.2 (54.5% vs 66.7%, P = 0.54) and/or a stimulated Tg (sTg) <1 (59.3% vs 64.0%, P = 0.78). At 1 year, rates of Tg < 0.2 (88.9% vs 90.0%, P = 1.00) and sTg < 1 (93.8% vs 92.3%, P = 1.00) remained similar between groups. Neck ultrasounds at 1 year were equally likely to be read as normal (85.7% in TT vs 85.1% in pCND, P = 1.00). CONCLUSIONS: cN0 PTC patients treated either with TT or TT + pCND had similar complication rates after surgery. Although microscopic nodes were discovered in 27.6% of pCND patients, oncologic outcomes were comparable at 1 year.

Outcomes after completion thyroidectomy versus total thyroidectomy for differentiated thyroid cancer: A single-center experience.

BACKGROUND: Thyroid cancer diagnoses are often discovered after diagnostic thyroid lobectomy. Completion thyroidectomy (CT) may be indicated for intermediate or high-risk tumors to facilitate surveillance and/or adjuvant treatment. The completeness of thyroid resection and the safety of CT compared to total thyroidectomy (TT) is unclear. We assessed outcomes after TT or CT to determine completeness of resection and risk of complications. METHODS: Patients undergoing TT or CT between 2000 and 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Pathology, unstimulated thyroglobulin (uTg), parathyroid hormone (PTH), rates of hematoma, and recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury were compared. RESULTS: Differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) was identified in 954 patients undergoing TT and 142 patients undergoing CT. Postoperative uTg at 6 months was not different between TT and CT, 0.2 vs 0.2 ng/mL, P = .37. Transient hypoparathyroidism with immediate postoperative PTH less than 10 was more common after TT, 14.3 vs 6.0% (P = .009). No differences were noted regarding postoperative hematoma, transient RLN injury, permanent hypoparathyroidism, and permanent RLN injury. CONCLUSIONS: If CT is required for DTC, a complete resection, as assessed by postoperative uTg, can be achieved. Furthermore, CT is significantly less likely to result in transient hypoparathyroidism and poses no additional risk of RLN injury, hematoma, or permanent hypoparathyroidism.

Utility of Early Postoperative Unstimulated Thyroglobulin in Influencing Decision Making in Patients with Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Serum thyroglobulin is used to screen for disease persistence or recurrence of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). We sought to assess the utility of early postoperative unstimulated thyroglobulin levels (uTg) as a decision-making tool to guide the use of radioactive iodine (RAI) in PTC patients. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database of patients surgically treated for PTC from 2015 to 2017. We analyzed uTg approximately 6 weeks postoperatively. Patients undergoing total thyroidectomy or completion thyroidectomy were included in the study, and patients were analyzed according to postoperative uTg and receipt of RAI. RESULTS: A total of 255 patients were analyzed, with 134 patients meeting the inclusion criteria. The median postoperative uTg was 0.3 ng/mL. Overall, 49.3% (66/134) of patients achieved the target uTg of ≤ 0.2 ng/mL at a mean time of 7.9 ± 0.3 weeks postoperatively; 60% (40/66) of patients who achieved uTg ≤ 0.2 ng/mL postoperatively did not receive RAI. A uTg ≤ 0.2 ng/mL was maintained at 6 months in 98.1% of patients, including 100% of patients who received RAI and 96.7% of patients who did not receive RAI (p = 0.8). Of those who did not receive RAI, none demonstrated structural disease recurrence on 6-month ultrasound. Patients with early postoperative uTg > 0.2-2.0 ng/mL showed benefit from RAI, while patients with uTg > 2.0 ng/mL did not achieve the targeted uTg level regardless of receipt of RAI. CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative uTg may be used to guide the use of RAI. Achieving near-undetectable uTg within 6 weeks postoperatively could aid providers in assessing disease burden and minimize RAI use for patients with a low-risk of disease recurrence. Continued follow-up is necessary to accurately determine long-term outcomes.

Identifying Predictors of Prolonged Levothyroxine Dose Adjustment After Thyroidectomy.

BACKGROUND: Levothyroxine (LT4) is one of the most prescribed drugs in the United States; however, many patients started on LT4 after thyroidectomy suffer from symptoms of hyper- or hypo-thyroidism before achieving euthyroidism. This study aims to describe the time required for dose adjustment before achieving euthyroidism and identify predictors of prolonged dose adjustment (PDA+) after thyroidectomy. METHODS: This is a single institution retrospective cohort study of patients who achieved euthyroidism with LT4 therapy between 2008 and 2017 after total or completion thyroidectomy for benign disease. Patients who needed at least three dose adjustments (top quartile) were considered PDA+. Binomial logistic regression was used to identify predictors of PDA+. RESULTS: The 605 patients in this study achieved euthyroidism in a median of 116 d (standard deviation 124.9) and one dose adjustment (standard deviation 1.3). The 508 PDA- patients achieved euthyroidism in a median of 101 d and one dose adjustment. The 97 PDA+ patients achieved euthyroidism in a median of 271 d and three dose adjustments. Iron supplementation (odds ratio = 4.4, 95% confidence interval = 1.4-13.5, P = 0.010) and multivitamin with mineral supplementation (odds ratio = 2.4, 95% confidence interval = 1.3-4.3, P = 0.004) were independently associated with PDA+. Age, gender, preoperative thyroid disease, and comorbidities did not independently predict PDA+. CONCLUSIONS: After thyroidectomy, achieving euthyroidism can take nearly 4 mo. Iron and mineral supplementation are associated with PDA+. This information can inform the preoperative counseling of patients and suggests that this may expedite achieving euthyroidism.

A Qualitative Analysis of the Preoperative Needs of Patients With Papillary Thyroid Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Thyroid cancer patients report unmet needs after diagnosis. However, little is known about their specific needs. Therefore, we sought to characterize the needs of patients with thyroid cancer before undergoing surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted semistructured interviews with 32 patients with papillary thyroid cancer after their preoperative surgical consultation. Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. RESULTS: The central need of patients with thyroid cancer was a strong patient-surgeon relationship characterized by informational and emotional support, and respect for the patient as a person. Patients preferred disease- and treatment-related information to be individualized and to take into account aspects of their daily life. They wanted adequate time for asking questions with thoughtful answers tailored to their case. Patients additionally desired emotional support from the surgeon characterized by empathy and validation of their cancer experience. They particularly wanted surgeons to address their fears and anxiety. Patients also highly valued the surgeons' ability to see beyond their disease and acknowledge them as a unique person with respect to their occupation, psychosocial state, and other individual characteristics. When surgeons met patients' needs, they felt reassured, comfortable with their cancer diagnosis, and prepared for treatment. Suboptimal support increased patients' anxiety particularly when they felt the surgeon minimized their concerns. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperatively, patients with thyroid cancer desire a strong patient-surgeon relationship. They rely on the surgeon to provide adequate informational and emotional support and respect them as individuals. In turn, patients feel reassured and prepared for treatment.

Optimizing Levothyroxine Dose Adjustment After Thyroidectomy With a Decision Tree.

BACKGROUND: After thyroidectomy, patients require Levothyroxine (LT4). It may take years of dose adjustments to achieve euthyroidism. During this time, patients encounter undesirable symptoms associated with hypo- or hyper-thyroidism. Currently, providers adjust LT4 dose by clinical estimation, and no algorithm exists. The objective of this study was to build a decision tree that could estimate LT4 dose adjustments and reduce the time to euthyroidism. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort analysis on 320 patients who underwent total or completion thyroidectomy at our institution. All patients required one or more LT4 dose adjustments from their initial postoperative dose before attaining euthyroidism. Using the Classification and Regression Tree algorithm, we built various decision trees from patient characteristics, estimating the dose adjustment to reach euthyroidism. RESULTS: The most accurate decision tree used thyroid-stimulating hormone values at first dose adjustment (mean absolute error = 13.0 µg). In comparison, the expert provider and naïve system had a mean absolute error of 11.7 µg and 17.2 µg, respectively. In the evaluation dataset, the decision tree correctly predicted the dose adjustment within the smallest LT4 dose increment (12.5 µg) 79 of 106 times (75%, confidence interval = 65%-82%). In comparison, expert provider estimation correctly predicted the dose adjustment 76 of 106 times (72%, confidence interval = 62%-80%). CONCLUSIONS: A decision tree predicts the correct LT4 dose adjustment with an accuracy exceeding that of a completely naïve system and comparable to that of an expert provider. It can assist providers inexperienced with LT4 dose adjustment.

Timely Evaluation and Management of Primary Hyperparathyroidism in Patients With Kidney Stones.

BACKGROUND: Nephrolithiasis is a classic, treatable manifestation of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). We examined predictors of kidney stone formation in PHPT patients and determined how efficiently the diagnosis of PHPT is made in patients whose initial presentation is with stones. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of surgically treated PHPT patients, comparing 247 patients who were kidney stone formers and 1047 patients with no kidney stones. We also analyzed 51 stone-forming patients whose stone evaluation and treatment were completed within our health system before PHPT diagnosis. RESULTS: Stone-forming patients had higher 24-h urinary calcium (342 versus 304 mg/d, P = 0.005), higher alkaline phosphatase (92 versus 85 IU/L, P = 0.012), and were more likely to be normocalcemic (26.6% versus 16.9%, P = 0.001). Surprisingly, 47.3% of stone formers had normal urinary calcium levels (<300 mg/d). Of the 51 stone-forming patients treated at our institution, serum calcium was measured within 6 mo of stone diagnosis in 37 (72.5%) patients. Only 16 (31.4%) of these patients had elevated calcium levels, and only 10 (62.5%) of these 16 had a serum parathyroid hormone ordered within the following 3 mo. These patients had a significantly shorter time from their first stone to surgical treatment compared to other patients (median 8.5 versus 49.1 mo, P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Elevated serum and urinary calcium levels are not evaluated in the majority of PHPT patients presenting with kidney stones. In nephrolithiasis patients, provider consideration of PHPT with prompt serum calcium and parathyroid hormone evaluation significantly reduces time to treatment.

Survival in patients with medullary thyroid cancer after less than the recommended initial operation.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: We aimed to evaluate the disease specific-survival (DSS) of patients with Medullary Thyroid Cancer (MTC) confined to the central neck based on the extent of the initial operation. METHODS: This retrospective review of patients with MTC from the SEER registry from 2004 to 2012 excluded patients with lateral neck involvement or distant metastases. RESULTS: The cohort (n = 766) included 85(11%) less than total thyroidectomies (TT), 212(28%) TT alone, and 469(61%) TT with lymph node excision. Mean tumor size was similar (2.2cm for

Selective Versus Non-selective α-Blockade Prior to Laparoscopic Adrenalectomy for Pheochromocytoma.

BACKGROUND: The optimal preoperative α-blockade strategy is debated for patients undergoing laparoscopic adrenalectomy for pheochromocytomas. We evaluated the impact of selective versus non-selective α-blockade on intraoperative hemodynamics and postoperative outcomes. METHODS: We identified patients having laparoscopic adrenalectomy for pheochromocytomas from 2001 to 2015. As a marker of overall intraoperative hemodynamics, we combined systolic blood pressure (SBP) > 200, SBP < 80, SBP < 80 and >200, pulse > 120, vasopressor infusion, and vasodilator infusion into a single variable. Similarly, the combination of vasopressor infusion in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) and the need for intensive care unit (ICU) admission provided an overview of postoperative support. RESULTS: We identified 52 patients undergoing unilateral laparoscopic adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma. Selective α-blockade (i.e. doxazosin) was performed in 35 % (n = 18) of patients, and non-selective blockade with phenoxybenzamine was performed in 65 % (n = 34) of patients. Demographics and tumor characteristics were similar between groups. Patients blocked selectively were more likely to have an SBP < 80 (67 %) than those blocked with phenoxybenzamine (35 %) (p = 0.03), but we found no significant difference in overall intraoperative hemodynamics between patients blocked selectively and non-selectively (p = 0.09). However, postoperatively, patients blocked selectively were more likely to require additional support with vasopressor infusions in the PACU or ICU admission (p = 0.02). Hospital stay and complication rates were similar. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma is safe regardless of the preoperative α-blockade strategy employed, but patients blocked selectively may have a higher incidence of transient hypotension during surgery and a greater need for postoperative support. These differences did not result in longer hospital stay or increased complications.