ANALYSIS OF RISK OF DEATH FROM DIFFERENTIATED THYROID-CANCER

The records of 231 patients with differentiated thyroid cancer, treate d at the University Hospital of Granada between 1972 and 1986, were re viewed to determine which factors were associated with a favourable re sponse and prolonged survival. Radical surgery was the initial treatme nt in the large majority of the patients. During the postoperative per iod, 174 patients received I-131 therapy and 12 patients were treated by external irradiation. All of them received hormone replacement ther apy. Median follow up was over 5 years. Kaplan-Meier actuarial overall survival (S) and disease-free survival (DSF) at 10 years were used as end points for analysis. Survival and freedom from relapse at this ti me were 0.93 +/- 0.02 and 0.63 +/- 0.06, respectively. No flattening o f the relapse curve was observed during the period of follow-up. Univa riate analysis showed that the prognosis was significantly influenced by age, sex (papillary cancer only), histological type of tumour, clin ical-pathological stage of disease and cervical lymph node status (ent ire group and papillary cancer). Using Cox's regression model, two gro ups of patients with low and moderate risk of death and moderate and h igh risk of recurrence could be identified.