Worse survival and higher rates of relapse in U.S. Armenians with papillary thyroid cancer

Abstract

Objectives

Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is the most frequent subtype of thyroid cancer with overall favorable survival. Currently, little is known about the PTC experience within the United States (U.S.) Armenians. We performed the first study comparing clinicopathologic variables and clinical outcomes of U.S. Armenian PTC patients to a matched control group of non-Armenians.

Methods

We performed a single-center, retrospective, case–control study of adult Armenian PTC patients who received care at COH from 2005 to 2022. Armenian ethnicity was determined by surnames ending in “-ian” and “-yan”. We report and compare clinicopathologic presentation and disease outcomes with a gender- and age-matched control non-Armenian population.

Results

Fifty-eight Armenian patients comprised our study cohort. Positive margin status (p = .038), angioinvasion (p = .006), and extrathyroidal extension (p = .014) were more prevalent in the Armenian population. Higher rates of both persistent disease and death due to disease were seen in the Armenians regardless of age groupings. Multivariable analysis revealed significant impact of Armenian status on outcomes. Calculated 5- and 10- year disease-specific survival rates in the Armenian cohort were 88% and 73.2%, respectively, compared with 100% and 94.6% in the non-Armenian group (p < .002). The 5- and 10- year progression-free survival was worse in the Armenian group at 61.8% and 50.1%, respectively, compared with 87.5% and 87.5% in the non-Armenian group (p < .001).

Conclusion

Armenian PTC patients displayed more aggressive disease than non-Armenians. In addition, Armenian PTC patients had higher incidence of disease relapse and worse clinical outcomes.

Level of Evidence

5