Table 3.
Description of the seven patients with false benign malignancies
| Subject no. | Time until first follow-up, years | Nodule size at initial aspiration, cm | Nodule size at first follow-up, cm | Thyroidectomy indication | Histopathology | Encapsulated | Lymphovascular invasion/Extrathyroidal extension | Lymph node/Distant metastases | Clinical status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1.0 | 5.2 | 6.1 | Compressive symptoms | PTC follicular variant 5.0 cm | Encapsulated a | 1 Focus suspicious for LVI | 1 Scapular metastasisc | Disease free with no recurrence |
| 2 | 1.3 | 4.0 | 4.5 | Abnormal repeat cytology | PTC follicular variant 4.3 cm | Encapsulated | No | No | Disease free with no recurrence |
| 3 | 1.4 | 2.9 | 4.4 | Compressive symptoms | PTC follicular variant 3.3 cm | Encapsulated | No | No | Disease free with no recurrence |
| 4 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 2.9 | Abnormal repeat cytology | PTC follicular variant 3.8 cm | Encapsulated b | No | No | Disease free with no recurrence |
| 5 | 2.7 | 1.2 | 1.6 | Abnormal repeat cytology | PTC follicular variant 1.1 cm | Encapsulated | No | No | Disease free with no recurrence |
| 6 | 3.7 | 2.2 | 2.7 | Abnormal repeat cytology | PTC follicular variant 2.5 cm | Encapsulated | No | No | Disease free with no recurrence |
| 7 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 6.1 | Abnormal repeat cytology | PTC follicular variant 5.5 cm | Partially-encapsulated/ well-circumscribed | No | No | Disease free with no recurrence |
aWith focal capsular invasion
bWith extensive capsular invasion
cMetastasis showed excellent reaction to radioactive iodine treatment
PTC, Papillary thyroid carcinoma; LVI, Lymphovascular invasion