Objective:

To investigate the impact of adrenal metastases (AM) of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) by comparing clinicopathological characteristics and prognoses between DTC patients with AM and those with other distant metastatic sites, specifically focusing on survival outcomes.

Approach:

Key Findings:

• Higher proportion of radioactive iodine-refractory DTC (RAIR-DTC) in DTC-AM group (71.43% vs. 44.64%).
• 5- and 10-year overall survival (OS) rates were significantly lower in the DTC-AM group (65.31% and 46.65%) compared to non-DTC-AM group (92.88% and 78.23%), indicating a substantial impact on prognosis.
• Independent risk factors for poor survival included presence of AM, advanced age at diagnosis of distant metastases (≥60 years), and large primary tumor size (≥4 cm).

Interpretation:

Adrenal metastases significantly worsen the prognosis of DTC patients, with specific clinicopathological characteristics linked to poorer outcomes.

Limitations:

• Retrospective design may introduce selection bias, limiting causal inferences.
• Limited sample size may affect the generalizability of findings, necessitating further studies.

Conclusion:

DTC patients with adrenal metastases exhibit distinct characteristics and poorer prognoses compared to those with other distant metastases.

Attribution Notice

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