Alameer Ehab S
Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
Gland Surg. 2024 Jun 30;13(6):1076-1087. doi: 10.21037/gs-24-42. Epub 2024 Jun 17.
Pediatric thyroid cancer is on the rise, especially among adolescents. It is more aggressive than adult thyroid cancer and often presents with advanced features. This review aims to examine the current trends in the management and outcomes of pediatric thyroid cancer in Saudi Arabia.
A comprehensive literature search was conducted to identify relevant studies on pediatric thyroid cancer in Saudi Arabia. PubMed and Google Scholar were searched from inception until December 2023. Extracted information included study identifiers, patient demographics, clinicopathological features, treatment modalities, complications, surveillance practices, recurrence patterns, and survival outcomes.
The literature search identified ten eligible studies on pediatric thyroid cancer in Saudi Arabia. Pediatric thyroid cancer in Saudi Arabia often presents with advanced features, including higher rates of lymph nodes and distant metastases at diagnosis compared to adults. Fine-needle aspiration remains accurate, correlating well with final histopathology. Treatment primarily involves surgery, with total thyroidectomy being common, followed by radioactive iodine therapy for high-risk patients or those with positive iodine uptake. Survival rates exceed 95%, indicating a generally favorable prognosis. Recurrence rates can reach up to 30% in some studies, particularly with larger tumors or distant metastases. Hypocalcemia and recurrent laryngeal nerve injury are common postoperative complications, highlighting the need for experienced surgeons and meticulous technique. Genetic alterations in pediatric thyroid cancer are being investigated, but their impact on prognosis and treatment response is unclear. Limited data on management and outcomes in other regions of Saudi Arabia calls for multicenter studies to address healthcare disparities.
Pediatric thyroid cancer in Saudi Arabia has unique characteristics compared to its adult counterpart, mandating specialized management approaches. More research is needed on early detection, risk stratification, personalized treatment, and addressing regional disparities to improve outcomes for this vulnerable population.
儿童甲状腺癌的发病率正在上升，尤其是在青少年中。它比成人甲状腺癌更具侵袭性，且常呈现出晚期特征。本综述旨在探讨沙特阿拉伯儿童甲状腺癌的管理现状及治疗结果。
进行全面的文献检索，以识别沙特阿拉伯有关儿童甲状腺癌的相关研究。从数据库建立至2023年12月，检索了PubMed和谷歌学术。提取的信息包括研究标识符、患者人口统计学特征、临床病理特征、治疗方式、并发症、监测措施、复发模式和生存结果。
文献检索确定了10项关于沙特阿拉伯儿童甲状腺癌的合格研究。沙特阿拉伯的儿童甲状腺癌常呈现出晚期特征，与成人相比，诊断时淋巴结转移和远处转移的发生率更高。细针穿刺活检仍然准确，与最终组织病理学结果相关性良好。治疗主要包括手术，全甲状腺切除术较为常见，高危患者或碘摄取阳性患者术后还需进行放射性碘治疗。生存率超过95%，表明总体预后良好。在一些研究中，复发率可达30%，尤其是肿瘤较大或有远处转移的患者。低钙血症和喉返神经损伤是常见的术后并发症，这凸显了需要经验丰富的外科医生和精细的手术技术。儿童甲状腺癌的基因改变正在研究中，但其对预后和治疗反应的影响尚不清楚。沙特阿拉伯其他地区关于管理和结果的数据有限，需要开展多中心研究以解决医疗保健差异问题。
与成人甲状腺癌相比，沙特阿拉伯的儿童甲状腺癌具有独特的特征，需要采用专门的管理方法。需要更多关于早期检测、风险分层、个性化治疗以及解决地区差异方面的研究，以改善这一弱势群体的治疗结果。
