Objective:

To identify key factors influencing surgical choices among patients diagnosed with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) who are scheduled for thyroidectomy.

Approach:

Key Findings:

• Patients preferred surgical options with lower recurrence rates and scarless approaches.
• Patients were willing to pay ¥201,409.60 to reduce recurrence from 10% to 1%.
• Patients were willing to pay ¥19,141.14 to change the surgical scar location from external to internal.
• Recurrence rate was the most crucial non-financial factor, followed by incision location and complication rate.

Interpretation:

Postoperative cosmetic concerns varied across different demographic groups, indicating the need for tailored discussions during preoperative consultations to address specific patient values.

Limitations:

• The study was limited to a single hospital in China, which may affect the generalizability of the findings.
• Participants were selected based on specific inclusion criteria, potentially limiting the diversity of the sample.

Conclusion:

Recurrence risk is the primary driver of surgical preference in PTC patients, highlighting the importance of considering patient-specific values in decision-making.

Sources:

• Clinical Trial Registration
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