A characterization and prognosis prediction model for primary squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroid

Xingyu Zhang; Gangcai Zhu; Bin Tang; Huimei Huang; Changhan Chen; Siyuan Zheng; Yuting Pu; Yimin Xu; Gang Wang; Donghai Huang; Yong Liu; Xin Zhang

doi:10.21037/gs-20-847

A characterization and prognosis prediction model for primary squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroid

Gland Surg. 2021 Apr;10(4):1325-1338. doi: 10.21037/gs-20-847.

Authors

Xingyu Zhang¹, Gangcai Zhu², Bin Tang¹, Huimei Huang², Changhan Chen¹, Siyuan Zheng¹, Yuting Pu¹, Yimin Xu¹, Gang Wang¹, Donghai Huang^{1

3

4

5}, Yong Liu^{1

3

4

5}, Xin Zhang^{1

3

4

5}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
² Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
³ Otolaryngology Major Disease Research Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha, China.
⁴ Clinical Research Center for Pharyngolaryngeal Diseases and Voice Disorders in Hunan Province, Changsha, China.
⁵ National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders (Xiangya Hospital), Changsha, China.

Abstract

Background: Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroid (PSCCTh) is a sporadic malignancy arising from the thyroid gland. The factors that affect treatment and survival in patients with PSCCTh remain unclear. Our study aims to characterize PSCCTh and establish a prognosis prediction model for patients with PSCCTh.

Methods: Clinical data and follow-up information for 277 patients from 1973 to 2016 were collected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER) 18-registry database (RRID:SCR_003293). Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards analyses and nomogram modeling of potential prognostic factors were conducted.

Results: Among the collected patient cases, 57% were female and 43% were male. The median survival of all cases was 6 months; by gender, median survival was 5 and 8 months in the female and male groups, respectively. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards analyses revealed that age, extent of disease (EOD), T stage, N stage, and treatment were independent prognostic indicators for overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) in patients with PSCCTh. In addition, it was confirmed that the established nomogram model had good consistency and discrimination for PSCCTh prognosis as measured by the concordance index (C-index), area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC), and calibration curves.

Conclusions: Our study indicates that age, EOD, T stage, N stage, and treatment may correlate with OS and DSS in patients with PSCCTh. Importantly, our nomogram prediction model, constructed using parameters including age, T stage, N stage, and treatment, may assist physicians in evaluating patients' prognoses and providing precise therapy for PSCCTh.

Keywords: Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroid (PSCCTh); Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program database (SEER database); nomogram; primary squamous cell carcinoma; prognosis.