Sun Wook Kim

We performed a retrospective review of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) examination to determine the prevalence of thyroid FDG-PET incidentaloma in a patient group evaluated for metastasis of cancer and in a group of healthy subjects who underwent voluntary cancer screening. We also evaluated the risk of malignancy in focal thyroid FDG-PET incidentaloma and its association with standard uptake values (SUVs) (maximum and greater than 0.75 threshold). A total of 1330

BACKGROUND: Between 10 and 30% of the fine needle aspiration biopsies (FNABs) of thyroid nodules are diagnosed as 'indeterminate'. A molecular diagnostic method is needed to reduce unnecessary surgery in this group. In Korea, most thyroid cancer is the classic papillary type and the BRAF(V600E) mutation is highly prevalent. AIM: To evaluate the role of pre-operative detection of BRAF(V600E) mutation in the FNAB specimens of thyroid nodules in a BRAF(V600E) mutation-prevalent geographical area. P

Molecular testing for the BRAFV600E mutation in FNA thyroid nodule specimens increases diagnostic value when applied in a BRAFV600E mutation-prevalent population. However, when using this potentially powerful technique, we must consider both its strengths and its weaknesses.

BACKGROUND: Concern regarding the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of long-term survivors of thyroid cancer has risen due to the rapid increase in the incidence of thyroid cancer, which generally has an excellent prognosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the status of HRQOL in disease-free survivors of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) and to evaluate the important determinants of HRQOL. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study in which we interviewed consecutive disease-free

OBJECTIVE: Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that excess weight increases the risk of thyroid cancer. However, the associations between excess weight and prognostic factors for thyroid cancer are uncertain. We evaluated the relationships between body mass index (BMI) and clinico-pathological features and outcomes of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 2057 patients with PTC was performed. Patients were grouped according to BMI (underweight, nor

The reference interval of TSH in Korea, where iodine intake is above the requirement, was 0.59-7.03 mIU/L and showed U-shaped change with age, which was a similar pattern to iodine intake. The reference interval of FT4 was 0.92-1.60 ng/dL. The geometric mean and upper limit of TSH were higher than those of Western populations, reflecting the paramount importance of iodine intake on thyroid function.

OBJECTIVE: Although papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) has a favourable long-term prognosis, disease recurrence after initial treatment remains a problem and controversy exists regarding the role of radioactive iodine (RAI) ablation in PTMC. We performed this study to evaluate the effect of RAI ablation on disease recurrence in patients with PTMC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1994 and 2004, 2579 patients underwent thyroid surgery for thyroid cancer at Samsung Medical Center. Among these pa

AIM: Diffuse sclerosing variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (DSV-PTC) is an uncommon variant of PTC, and its prognostic significance remains controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the major genetic alterations of DSV-PTC and their prognostic implications. METHODS AND RESULTS: We included 37 patients with DSV-PTC who underwent thyroid surgery and had formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples. We tested for a panel of genetic alterations, including BRAF(V) (600E) , NRAS codon 61

RAIT exceeding 100 mCi was strongly associated with the development of leukemia in a nationwide, population-based study, while lower RAIT doses were not. Considering the favorable survival of patients with thyroid cancer and the potential harm of RAIT, physicians need to consider the pros and cons of RAIT when using this treatment option.

Aims The non‐invasive encapsulated follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma ( FVPTC ) has been managed as a low‐risk malignancy. Recently, a proposal was made to reclassify this tumour type as a premalignant lesion and rename it non‐invasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary‐like nuclear features ( NIFTP ). This study aims to provide the first comprehensive study on molecular genotype–phenotype correlations of encapsulated FVPTC . Methods and results This study was performed on

BACKGROUND: Thyroid cancer affects relatively young adults, and its overall survival is excellent. With long life expectancy, the development of subsequent cancers is an important concern for survivors of thyroid cancer. The objective of this study was to investigate the incidence and types of second primary malignancies in Korean patients with thyroid cancer. METHODS: The study cohort included 178,844 registrants with thyroid cancer from the Korea Central Cancer Registry (KCCR) database between

BACKGROUND: Iodine in iodinated contrast agents (ICAs) interferes with radioactive iodine treatment (RAIT) and diagnostic scans in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) because it can compete with ¹³¹I. Published guidelines recommend delaying RAIT for three to four months in patients who have been exposed to ICA. Spot urinary iodine concentration is a useful marker to reflect the body iodine pool. We investigated the impact of ICAs administered at preoperative computed tomography

BACKGROUND: Parafibromin is a protein encoded by the HRPT2 oncosuppressor gene, and the expression is reported to be decreased or absent in parathyroid carcinomas. METHODS: A total of 26 tumor specimens from 18 patients with adenoma and 8 patients with carcinoma were immune-stained with an antibody against parafibromin. RESULTS: Parafibromin immunostaining showed strong positivity in 17 of 18 adenomas. Negative staining was noted in 3 of 8 carcinomas, and weak positivity was found in 3 of 8 carc

OBJECTIVE: The success of a low-iodine diet (LID) is best determined by measurement of 24-h urine iodine (U-I) excretion. The aim of this study was to determine reliable estimates for 24-h U-I based on spot-urine samples and to provide cut-offs to determine the effectiveness of LID preparation. DESIGN: We prospectively measured iodine levels in 193 patients based on 24-h- and spot-urine samples before radioactive iodine therapy. The iodine was expressed as the 24-h U-I excretion (microg/day) and