ZHAO Yuanyuan, HE Qi, JI Feihong, et al.
Journal of Jiangsu University(Medicine Edition).
2022, 32(06):
461-466.
Objective: To analyse the clinicopathological features of patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) combined with breast cancer and to explore the possible relationship between these two cancers. Methods: A total of 99 patients with PTC combined with breast cancer (combined cancer group) who were admitted to the Thyroid Surgery Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from December 2016 to December 2021 were selected, and 99 patients with PTC without breast nodule (simple cancer group) who were treated during the same period were selected. The general characteristics, PTC pathological characteristics, thyroid hormone, antigen and antibody levels were compared between the two groups. According to the order of diagnosis and the interval time, the patients with PTC combined with breast cancer were divided into breast-thyroid group (diagnosed with PTC after breast cancer), thyroid-breast group (diagnosed with breast cancer after PTC) and simultaneous group (the interval between the diagnosis of two cancers did not exceed 6 months). The age at diagnosis of PTC and breast cancer, the interval between diagnosis of two cancers, the lymph node metastasis of PTC and pathological characteristics of breast cancer were compared among the three groups. Results: Compared with the simple cancer group, the tumor in the combined cancer group was smaller in maximum diameter, more inclined to microcarcinoma, and less likely to invade the capsule and surrounding tissues; the age at the time of diagnosis of PTC was significantly older, most of them were in menopausal state; the level of serum free tetraiodothyronine (FT4) was also significantly decreased, while the level of thyroglobulin (Tg), thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) and thyrotropin receptor antibody (TRAb) were significantly increased (all P<0.05). Compared with the thyroid-breast group, the interval between diagnosis of two cancers in the breast-thyroid group was significantly shorter (P<0.05). Compared with the simultaneous group, the rate of cervical lymph node metastasis in the breast-thyroid group was significantly higher (P<0.05). Conclusion: Thyroid tumors in patients with PTC combined with breast cancer were smaller in maximum diameter, and some patients developed rapidly and were prone to skip metastasis; PTC patients with high expression level of Tg, TPOAb and TRAb had an increased risk of breast cancer.
[Key words]papillary thyroid carcinoma; breast cancer; thyroid hormone; thyroglobulin; thyroid associated antibody; lymph node metastasis; microcarcinoma