Clinical preliminary study on the correlation between nodular goitre and papillary thyroid carcinoma

BACKGROUND: In clinical practice, we often encounter patients with concurrent papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and nodular goitre (NG). What are the similarities and differences between these patients and patients with simple NG? Whether NG-related nodules can affect the occurrence and development of PTC still remains unknown. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed 650 patients undergoing surgery for a thyroid nodule in our hospital from January 1, 2015, to January 31, 2016. A total of 574 patients who met the inclusion criteria were divided into the NG, PTC and NG&PTC groups according to their postoperative pathological features. SPSS 22 software was used to compare the characteristics of patients between the three groups, the similarities and differences of potential risk factors (such as age, sex, residence location, BMI…) and thyroid function between the NG&PTC and NG groups, and the similarities and differences of tumour pathological features between the NG&PTC and PTC groups. RESULTS: There were significant differences in the composition ratios of age, gender and residence location between the NG, PTC and NG&PTC groups. There were significant differences in residence location and body mass index (BMI) between the NG group and the NG&PTC group. There were significant differences in the number of cancer nodules, lymph node metastasis, and central lymph node metastasis between the NG&PTC and PTC groups. CONCLUSIONS: Overweight may affect the occurrence of PTC in patients with NG. NG may limit the intra- or extra-glandular metastasis of PTC but does not affect the growth and invasion of PTC.