Table 2.
Comparison of clinical features according to the route of detection of thyroid cancer
| Variable | Palpation group (n = 91) | Screening group (n = 35) | p value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (mean ± SD), years | 16 ± 3 | 17 ±2 | 0.79 |
| Female, n (%) | 79 (87) | 31 (89) | 0.79 |
| History of radiation, n (%) | 3 (3) | 1 (3) | 0.90 |
| Histology, n (%) | – | – | 0.75 |
| Papillary | 82 (90) | 33 (94) | |
| Classic | 73 (80) | 29 (83) | |
| Follicular | 2 (2) | 1 (3) | |
| Diffuse sclerosing | 5 (6) | 3 (8) | |
| Cribriform-morular | 2 (2) | 0 | |
| Follicular | 7 (8) | 1 (3) | |
| Medullary | 0 | 1 (3) | |
| Poorly differentiated | 2 (2) | 0 | |
| Median mass size, cm | 2.8 | 0.9 | <0.001 |
| Mass size, n (%) | |||
| <0.5 cm | 0 | 5 (14) | |
| 0.5 – 0.9 cm | 4 (4) | 18 (52) | |
| 1.0 – 1.9 cm | 15 (17) | 11 (31) | |
| ≥2.0 cm | 72 (79) | 1 (3) | |
| T stage, n (%) | <0.001 | ||
| T1 | 12 (13) | 23 (66) | |
| T2 | 13 (14) | 0 | |
| T3 | 32 (35) | 6 (17) | |
| T4 | 34 (38) | 6 (17) | |
| N stage, n (%) | |||
| N0 | 23 (25) | 20 (57) | <0.001 |
| N1a | 30 (33) | 11 (32) | |
| N1b | 38 (42) | 4 (11) | |
| Extrathyroidal extension, n (%) | |||
| None | 29 (32) | 23 (66) | 0.001 |
| Minimal | 28 (31) | 6 (17) | |
| Gross | 34 (37) | 6 (17) | |
| Distant metastasis at presentation, n (%) | 10 (11) | 0 | 0.001 |
TNM stage was described according to the 7th edition of the TNM/AJCC system.