Long-Term Outcomes After Hepatic and Pancreatic Resections for Metastases from Thyroid Cancer: a Systematic Review of the Literature

Abstract

Purpose

The objective of our systematic review was to evaluate the long-term outcomes of surgical resection as a treatment strategy for liver and pancreatic metastases from thyroid cancer (TC).

Methods

A systematic search of three electronic databases for articles published up to October 2018 was conducted. All appropriate observational studies and case reports which reported outcomes from patients with TC metastatic to the liver or pancreas were considered eligible for inclusion in the present systematic review.

Results

A total of 15 studies, which comprised of 16 patients that underwent hepatic or pancreatic resection for TC metastasis, were included in the present systematic review; among them, 5 presented with metastasis to the liver, whereas 11 had pancreatic metastatic disease. The median time interval between the initial thyroidectomy and the diagnosis of metastases (either hepatic or pancreatic) was 60 months (SE 23.8, 95% CI 13.3–106.7) for the entire cohort and the mean overall survival was 37.6 months (SE 8, 95% CI 22–53.3). Five patients with pancreatic metastases presented with recurrence whereas no recurrences were noted in patients with liver metastases.

Conclusions

Surgical resection of liver and pancreatic metastases from TC seems to be a safe and efficient treatment option for selected patients. In that setting, long-term outcomes in patients with resected TCLM are encouraging given the absence of recurrence as reported from the included studies, whereas in the case of TCPM, survival is limited due to advanced disease at diagnosis and recurrence rates.

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