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Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of the type of data capture on the time and help needed for collecting patient-reported outcomes as well as on the proportion of missing scores. Methods In a multinational prospective study, thyroid cancer patients from 17 countries completed a validated questionnaire measuring quality of life. Electronic data capture was compared to the paper-based approach using multivariate logistic regression. Results A total of 437 patients were included, of whom 13% used electronic data capture. The relation between data capture and time needed was modified by the emotional functioning of the patients. Those with clinical impairments in that respect needed more time to complete the questionnaire when they used electronic data capture compared to paper and pencil (OR adj 24.0; p  = 0.006). This was not the case when patients had sub-threshold emotional problems (OR adj 1.9; p  = 0.48). The odds of having the researcher reading the questions out (instead of the patient doing this themselves) (OR adj 0.1; p  = 0.01) and of needing any help (OR adj 0.1; p  = 0.01) were lower when electronic data capture was used. The proportion of missing scores was equivalent in both groups (OR adj 0.4, p  = 0.42). Conclusions The advantages of electronic data capture, such as real-time assessment and fewer data entry errors, may come at the price of more time required for data collection when the patients have mental health problems. As this is not uncommon in thyroid cancer, researchers need to choose the type of data capture wisely for their particular research question.

Background The incidence of thyroid cancer is increasing. As such, the number of survivors is rising, and it has been shown that their quality of life (QOL) is worse than expected. Using results from the North American Thyroid Cancer Survivorship Study (NATCSS), a large-scale survivorship study, we aim to compare the QOL of thyroid cancer survivors to the QOL of survivors of other types of cancer. Methods The NATCSS assessed QOL overall and in four subcategories: physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being using the QOL-Cancer Survivor (QOL-CS) instrument. Studies that used the QOL-CS to evaluate survivors of other types of cancers were compared to the NATCSS findings using two-tailed t tests. Results We compared results from NATCSS to QOL survivorship studies in colon, glioma, breast, and gynecologic cancer. The mean overall QOL in NATCSS was 5.56 (on a scale of 0–10, where 10 is the best). Overall QOL of patients with thyroid cancer was similar to that of patients with colon cancer (mean 5.20, p  = 0.13), glioma (mean 5.96, p  = 0.23), and gynecologic cancer (mean 5.59, p  = 0.43). It was worse than patients surveyed with breast cancer (mean 6.51, p  < 0.01). Conclusions We found the self-reported QOL of thyroid cancer survivors in our study population is overall similar to or worse than that of survivors of other types of cancer surveyed with the same instrument. This should heighten awareness of the significance of a thyroid cancer diagnosis and highlights the need for further research in how to improve care for this enlarging group of patients.

We sought to identify associations between living in an economically distressed community and the oncologic features and mutational status of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). Patients with PTC were identified retrospectively. Community distress was estimated using the Distressed Communities Index (DCI). Logistic regression was used to assess associations between DCI, oncologic features, and tumor mutational status. Among 1062 patients, those from “at risk” (9.6%) or “distressed” (7.1%) communities were more likely to have tumors >4 ​cm (aOR 2.13, 95% CI 1.15–3.95), experience disease recurrence (aOR 1.84, 95% CI 1.16–2.91), and die due to thyroid cancer (aOR 3.56, 95% CI 1.26–10.05) compared to those in “prosperous” (41.6%) communities. No associations were found between DCI and tumor mutations or multifocality. Patients from “distressed” communities are diagnosed with more advanced thyroid cancer with higher rates of recurrence and death despite no differences in tumor mutational profile. [Display omitted] •The impact of socioeconomic factors on PTC tumor mutational status is unknown.•Patients from “distressed” communities have worse outcomes, regardless of mutations.•DCI independently predicts larger tumors, recurrence, and mortality for PTC patients.•DCI may serve as a more relevant predictor of PTC outcomes than race alone.

The level of thyroidectomy-related regret in patients with clinically low-risk papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) and the determinants of decision regret are largely unknown. Here, we show that 319 (24.2%) of those who undergo thyroidectomy and 4 (3.4%) who undergo active surveillance (AS) express heightened regret based on validated decision regret scale (DRS) scores in the first online survey ( P  <  0.001 ). Multivariable analysis and the second online survey for patients with heightened regret confirm that postoperative lower thyroid cancer-specific quality of life (QoL) (scar and psychology) (75.5%) is the most common factor for heightened regret of thyroidectomy, followed by preoperative understanding of disease [not at all] (15.0%), presentation of complications (3.8%) and other factors (5.7%). These results highlight that more caution should be exercised when low-risk PTMC patients are scheduled for thyroidectomy. Information about the various treatments for clinically low-risk PTMC, the risk of thyroidectomy and postoperative QoL should be fully communicated during initial counseling. Thyroidectomy is frequently the treatment offered to patients with low-risk papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC). Here, the authors perform a multicentre online survey to a cohort of patients with PTMC showing that heightened regret may not be an experience of a minority of clinically low-risk PTMC patients and is primarily due to lower postoperative quality of life.

Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is important for differentiated thyroid cancer survivors, but data for Asian survivors is lacking. This study aimed to have an overview of, and identify any disease-or treatment-related factors associated with, HRQoL in Asian differentiated thyroid cancer survivors. Patients and Methods: Thyroid cancer survivors were recruited from the thyroid clinics at Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong from February 2016 to December 2016. All adult differentiated thyroid cancer patients with stable disease more than or equal to 1 year received a survey on HRQoL using the European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) and Thyroid cancer specific quality of life (THYCA-QoL) questionnaire. Clinical information was collected retrospectively from the computerized clinical management system. To identify factors associated with poor HRQoL, univariable and stepwise multivariable regression analysis were performed. Results: A total of 613 survivors completed the questionnaires (response rate: 82.1%; female: 80.1%; median survivorship: 7.4 years (range: 1.0-48.2 years)). The QLQ-C30 summary score mean was 84.4 (standard deviation (SD): 12.7) while the THYCA-QoL summary score mean was 39.9 (SD: 9.7). The 2 highest symptom subscales were fatigue (mean: 26.4, SD: 20.6) and insomnia (mean: 26.2, SD: 27.6). Factors associated with worse HRQoL included serum thyrotropin (TSH) greater than 1.0 mIU/L, unemployment, and concomitant psychiatric disorders. Concomitant psychiatric illness (n = 40/613, 6.5%) also showed significant association with most of the symptom and functional subscales. Conclusions: Fatigue and insomnia were the 2 most common symptoms experienced by our differentiated thyroid cancer survivors. Long-term survivorship care with monitoring serum TSH level, supporting return-to-work and screening for concomitant psychiatric disorders should be offered.

Background Overdiagnosis of thyroid cancer has become a major global medical issue. Ultrasound-based thyroid cancer screening has promoted overdiagnosis, and recently international recommendations state that it should not be conducted, even after a nuclear accident. The Fukushima thyroid cancer screening program was initiated in 2011 as a health policy after the nuclear accident. The risk of radiation-induced thyroid cancer was unlikely given the low radiation levels, but the thyroid cancer screening program has continued at 2-year intervals with a relatively high participation rate and is now in its fifth round. It is therefore crucial to clarify whether those targeted for screening understand the disadvantages of screening, and to identify factors that influenced their decision to participate. Methods We conducted an anonymous mail-based questionnaire among young people from Fukushima Prefecture (subjects) and a neighboring prefecture that was not targeted for screening (non-subjects). We asked them about the significance of the thyroid cancer screening in Fukushima Prefecture, their reasons for accepting or refusing screening, their perception of the harms of screening, and their opinions on thyroid examination at school. We compared the results of the questionnaire between subjects and non-subjects and between examinees (who were screened) and non-examinees (who declined screening). Results Only 16.5% of respondents were aware of the harms associated with thyroid cancer screening, with most perceiving that the benefits outweighed the harms. Comparison of subjects’ and non-subjects’ responses showed there were no significant differences between the two groups. Among subjects, there were also no differences in responses between examinees and non-examinees. The most common reason for participation in screening was that the screening was conducted in schools and perceived as obligatory. Conclusions These results highlighted a serious ethical issue in that school-based screening leads to making young people think that it is mandatory screening in an opt-out and default setting manner, with a lack of knowledge about the disadvantages of screening. Based on the autonomy of the subjects and the ethical principle of the post-disaster, surveys after a nuclear disaster should be conducted in an opt-in style without an opt-out style such as school-based screening.

Background The most prevalent form of thyroid cancer is papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), and its prevalence has been steadily increasing globally, especially in women. Although the exact aetiology of PTC remains unclear, existing evidence indicates that psychological factors may exert a substantial influence on its pathogenesis. The primary objective of this research was to investigate the prevalence of psychological distress (including anxiety and depressive symptoms) and sleep disorders among patients with PTC, and to examine their interrelationships. Methods In this propensity score-matched (PSM) case–control study, we compared 446 PTC patients with demographically matched controls. Psychological distress was assessed using the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), and sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), via validated scales. Multivariable logistic regression analyzed associations, controlling for demographic confounders. Results The analysis revealed significantly higher prevalence rates of anxiety disorders (9.6% vs 7.0%), clinically significant depressive symptoms (39.9% vs 30.0%), and sleep disturbances (52.2% vs 39.0%) among PTC patients. Notably, logistic regression analysis demonstrated that mild sleep disturbances (specifically) were associated with PTC status (OR = 1.694, 95%CI 1.276–2.248, p  < 0.001). Our study also found a correlation between depression and multifocal tumors ( p  < 0.05). Furthermore, by further comparing specific dimensions of sleep quality, we found that PTC patients had significantly lower scores in daytime dysfunction, sleep efficiency, sleep latency, and subjective sleep quality compared to the normal population. Conclusion These results reveal significant associations between psychological comorbidities, sleep dysfunction (particularly mild sleep disturbances), and PTC diagnosis, although the observational design precludes causal inference. Additionally, the results highlight the critical role of mental health in the clinical management of thyroid cancer. The incorporation of regular evaluations of depressive symptoms and sleep disturbances into clinical protocols is advised to improve the prognostic outcomes and quality of life of patients.

This work aims to explore the effects of supportive psychological nursing in combination with continuous nursing on mental state as well as coping style of patients with thyroid malignancy undergoing surgery. Eighty-two patients with thyroid malignancy undergoing surgery admitted to our hospital from March 2023 to June 2024 were chosen to be the study objects, followed by dividing into control group and observation group. The control group adopted routine nursing intervention and routine discharge health education. Based on routine nursing intervention and routine discharge health education, the observation group adopted supportive psychological nursing combined with continuous nursing. The negative emotions, coping style, self-management ability, cancer-related fatigue, quality of life, sleep quality, medication compliance along with nursing satisfaction were compared in 2 groups. After nursing, in contrast to the control group, the anxiety and depression scores in the observation group were lower ( p  < 0.05), the improvements of yielding, avoiding and confronting scores in the observation group were more obvious ( p  < 0.05), the self-management ability scores in the observation group presented higher ( p  < 0.05), the cancer-related fatigue scores in the observation group were lower ( p  < 0.05), the quality of life scores in the observation group were higher ( p  < 0.05), the sleep quality score in the observation group was lower ( p  < 0.05), and the medication compliance along with nursing satisfaction of patients in the observation group was better ( p  < 0.05). Supportive psychological nursing in combination with continuous nursing can improve the mental state and coping style, promote the self-management ability, cancer-related fatigue, quality of life and sleep quality, as well as elevate the medication compliance and nursing satisfaction of patients with thyroid malignancy undergoing surgery.

Despite excellent survival rates, papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) may negatively affect patients’ quality of life (QoL), especially due to fear of recurrence. This study aims to evaluate the applicability of the Thyroid-Related Patient-Reported Outcome Questionnaire (ThyPRO) in patients with PTC and to assess its correlation with the widely used SF-36 QoL instrument. A total of 121 PTC patients who underwent total thyroidectomy between July 2019 and June 2021 at Ankara University were enrolled. Patients those with comorbidities were excluded. QoL was assessed using the ThyPRO and SF-36 questionnaires. Thyroid function tests and ultrasound findings were also collected. Moderate negative correlations were identified between several corresponding subscales of ThyPRO and SF-36: tiredness and vitality ( r = − 0.546, p  < 0.001); anxiety ( r = − 0.446), depressivity ( r = − 0.403), and emotional susceptibility ( r = − 0.545) with mental health (all p  < 0.001); impaired social life with social functioning ( r = − 0.378, p  < 0.001); and impaired daily life with role-physical and role-emotional ( r = − 0.335, p  < 0.001). However, no significant correlation was found between the overall QoL scores of ThyPRO and the general health domain of SF-36 ( r = − 0.157, p  = 0.087). ThyPRO demonstrates acceptable validity when compared with SF-36 in relevant domains and may serve as a disease-specific instrument for QoL assessment in patients with PTC.