A Preliminary Study on the Microwave Ablation of Multifocal Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma.

ABSTRACT

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the feasibility, efficiency, and safety of microwave ablation (MWA) for multifocal papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC). METHODS: This was a retrospective study, and the data of patients who underwent MWA for multifocal PTMC from October 2016 to December 2021 were reviewed. After ablation, the changes in tumor size and volume, as well as the rates of technical success, tumor disappearance, disease progression, and complications, were assessed. According to the tumor location, the cases were further divided into a unilateral multifocal disease (UMD) subgroup and a bilateral multifocal disease (BMD) subgroup. Further analyses were carried out. RESULTS: There was a total of 94 cases enrolled in the present study, which included 24 males and 70 females. The median age was 40 years (22-66 years); the median follow-up time was 14 months (6-48 months). Complete ablation was achieved in all enrolled cases. Therefore, the technical success rate was 100%. Due to expanding ablation, the MD and volume of the ablation zone increased at the 1st and 3rd months after ablation and decreased from the 12th month after ablation (p < 0.05 for all). The total complete tumor disappearance rates were 45/94 (47.87%) overall, 40.625% (13/32) in the UMD subgroup and 51.61% (32/62) in the BMD subgroup (p = 0.312). The total disease progression rates were 4.26% (4/94) overall, 6.25% (2/32) in the UMD subgroup and 3.23% (2/62) in the BMD subgroup (p = 0.881). The overall complication rate was 4.26% (4/94). CONCLUSION: This preliminary study indicates that MWA is a safe and effective treatment for multifocal PTMC.