Clinicopathological, Biochemical, and Sonographic Features of Thyroid Nodule Predictive of Malignancy among Adult Filipino Patients in a Tertiary Hospital in the Philippines

BACKGROUND Thyroid nodules may harbor cancer in 5% to 15% of cases. Specific clinical and sonographic features predictive of malignancy have been investigated in various populations, but due to differences in epidemiology, risk factors and iodine nutrition status, these predictors may not be valid in the Philippines. This study determined the clinicopathological, biochemical, and sonographic features of thyroid nodules predictive of malignancy among adult Filipino patients at the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH). METHODS We reviewed the medical records of Filipino patients ≥19 years of age who underwent thyroid surgery in UP-PGH from 2008 to 2011. RESULTS A total of 837 of 1,670 patients (50.1%) were enrolled in the study, which included 417 benign and 420 malignant tumors. The mean age at diagnosis was 38±11 years, with female predominance. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the presence of a hard or firm nodule (odds ratio [OR], 58.8, P<0.001; OR, 12.8, P<0.001), presence of microcalcifications (OR, 11.1; P<0.001), irregular margins on ultrasound (OR, 4.5; P<0.001), and absence of associated symptoms (OR, 2.3; P<0.002) increased significantly the likelihood of thyroid malignancy. CONCLUSION Similar to international data, the absence of associated symptoms, firm to hard thyroid nodules, and the presence of microcalcifications and irregular margins were significant predictors of thyroid malignancy.