An Undetectable Postoperative Calcitonin Level Is Associated with Long-Term Disease-Free Survival in Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma: Results of a Retrospective Cohort Study
Main finding · Disease-free status at last visitResult — go to the resultHR for achieving disease-free status (the abstract names this state, not an event) 5.33 CI 2.86–9.94Authors' conclusion
POCal is a strong prognostic marker for long-term disease-free survival and might help define follow-up strategies for MTC patients.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) at two tertiary teaching hospitals; mean age at diagnosis 41.1 ± 18.6 years, 60.5% women, 50.0% sporadic MTC, 49.1% lymph node and 18.9% distant metastasis
- Participants
- 334 patients
- Exposure
- Undetectable vs detectable postoperative calcitonin
- Undetectable postoperative calcitonin (POCal)n = 141
- Outcome
- Disease status at last visit: disease free (undetectable calcitonin and no evidence of disease on imaging), persistent disease, or disease-related death
- Follow-up
- Median 7.7 years (2.1-13.2 years)
Methodological detailstwo tertiary teaching hospitals
- Two tertiary teaching hospitals
Main finding
Disease-free status at last visit
HR for achieving disease-free status (the abstract names this state, not an event)
5.33
CI 2.86–9.94
P < 0.001
Events by group
Undetectable POCalvs Detectable POCal
HR for achieving disease-free status (the abstract names this state, not an event) 5.33 (CI 2.86–9.94); P < 0.001
As reported in the abstract
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Persistent biochemical disease · median follow-up 7.7 years · Undetectable POCal: stable calcitonin levels
| Outcome | Undetectable POCal | Detectable POCal |
|---|---|---|
| Persistent structural disease · median follow-up 7.7 years | — not stated in the abstract | 31.6% |
| Disease-related death · median follow-up 7.7 years | 0 events | 32.6% |
— not stated in the abstract
Original publication
An Undetectable Postoperative Calcitonin Level Is Associated with Long-Term Disease-Free Survival in Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma: Results of a Retrospective Cohort Study. Thyroid. Published 16 November 2022. doi:10.
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