Keywords
cancer risk
body mass index
neoplasm staging
prognostic factors
morphometric parameters
How to Cite
Abstract
Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma (PTC), a well-differentiated malignant neoplasm originating from thyroid follicular cells, has been increasingly studied for its association with obesity. In Ukraine, PTC accounts for approximately [1.7–1.8]% of all malignant tumors. Accumulated evidence suggests that obesity, characterized by a Body Mass Index (BMI) over 30 kg/m2, promotes carcinogenesis through hormonal changes, chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and insulin resistance. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship of obesity or overweight with PTC size. This retrospective study examined 91 patients with histologically confirmed PTC, categorizing them based on BMI into normal weight, overweight, and obese groups. Patients were divided into groups in relation to their weight. The study group comprised patients with overweight and obesity based on their BMI. Informed consent was obtained from all participants. Statistica 12 (TIBCO Software Inc., USA) and GraphPad Prism 10 (GraphPad Software, LLC, USA) statistical software were used for data analyses. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. The study showed that in our cohort, 71% of PTC patients were overweight or obese. Notably, larger tumors (≥1 cm) were more common in obese and overweight groups, whereas PTC microcarcinomas (<1 cm) were more frequent in patients with normal weight, suggesting a potential correlation between obesity and larger tumor size (p<0.05). This size differential suggests that metabolic factors associated with higher BMI may influence tumor growth in PTC. The results of the study indicate that PTC with a tumor diameter of ≥1 cm is more likely in obese and overweight patients. Thyroid microcarcinomas are more common in patients of normal weight. Obesity can be considered as a risk factor for faster growth of neoplasms in PTC.
Keywords: papillary thyroid microcarcinoma, cancer risk, body mass index, neoplasm staging, prognostic factors, morphometric parameters.
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