MADISON, WI ― How does age affect underlying subclinical papillary thyroid cancer (PTC)? A meta-analysis of autopsy studies investigated how subclinical PTC prevalence changes over the lifetime.
University of Wisconsin-led researchers searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases from inception to May 2021 for studies that reported the prevalence of PTC found at autopsy, with two investigators extracting the number of subclinical PTCs detected in selected age groups and extent of examination. The study team included participation from The VA Outcomes Group at the White River Junction, VT, VAMC.
Of the 1,773 studies screened, 16 studies with age-specific data met the inclusion criteria, representing 6,286 autopsies. Results indicated that the pooled subclinical PTC prevalence was 12.9% (95% CI 7.8-16.8) in the whole gland and 4.6% (2.5- 6.6) in partial gland examination.
Researchers said age-specific prevalence estimates were:
- ≤40 years, 11.5% (6.8-16.1);
- 41-60 years, 12.1% (7.6-16.5);
- 61-80 years, 12.7% (8-17.5); and
- 81+ years, 13.4% (7.9-18.9).
“Sex did not affect the age-specific prevalence and there was no difference in prevalence between men and women in any age group,” the authors wrote. “In the regression model, the OR of prevalence increasing by age group was 1.06 (0.92-1.2, P = .37).”
Nothing that their meta-analysis showed the prevalence of subclinical PTC is stable across the lifespan, the researchers advised, “There is not a higher subclinical PTC prevalence in middle age, in contrast to higher observed incidence rates in this age group. These findings offer unique insights into the prevalence of subclinical PTC and its relationship to age.”
- Arroyo N, Bell KJL, Hsiao V, Fernandes-Taylor S, Alagoz O, Zhang Y, Davies L, Francis DO. Prevalence of Subclinical Papillary Thyroid Cancer by Age: Meta-analysis of Autopsy Studies. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2022 Sep 28;107(10):2945-2952. doi: 10.1210/clinem/dgac468. PMID: 35947867; PMCID: PMC9516102.