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Scientific Oral Presentations

Endocrine Surgery

Session: Scientific Oral Presentation 1 - Endocrine

Gender and race disparity in patients undergoing surgery for papillary thyroid cancer

Sunday, October 12, 2025
3:12 PM - 3:18 PM EDT
Location: 128
Disclosure(s):
Isabelle IF Fournier, MD, FRCSC:

faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Mark E. Zafereo, MD:

faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Victoria E. Banuchi, MD, MPH:

faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Neil D D. Gross, MD:

faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Introduction: Significant disparities are seen in papillary thyroid cancer(PTC) across genders and race. This study aims to evaluate the differing histopathologic characteristics and extent of lymph involvement among gender and racial groups at our institution.

Methods: A 24-year high-volume single-institution retrospective chart review was conducted in patients with histopathologically confirmed PTC who underwent primary thyroid surgery at our institution with at least a central and/or lateral neck dissection (CND or LND, respectively). Demographic characteristics and histopathological data were collected from patients’ electronic medical records.

Results: 1688 patients were included with a median age of 45 years (range 18-93). Compared to females (n=1122,67%), males (n=566, 33%) presented with higher-staged disease (higher T, N, M, and overall staging; all p< 0.05), larger median tumor size (2.2 cm vs. 1.7 cm, p=0.001), higher rate of lymphovascular invasion (45% vs. 35%, p=0.001), extranodal extension (41% vs. 28%, p=0.001) and gross extrathyroidal extension (ETE) (23% vs. 15%, p=0.001). Regarding lymph node metastases, males had a higher rate of central neck nodal involvement (82% vs. 71%, p=0.001), while there was no difference in lateral neck involvement rates (97% vs. 94%, p=0.092), when a CND or LND were completed, respectively. With regard to race, Hispanic patients presented with significantly higher-staged disease (higher T, N, M, and overall staging; all p< 0.05), larger median tumor size (2.2 cm, p=0.001), higher rate of gross ETE (26%, p=0.001) and higher rate of central neck metastases (83%, p=0.005), compared to White, Black, and Asian patients.

Conclusions: In patients undergoing surgery for PTC involving a central and/or lateral neck dissection, males and Hispanic patients demonstrate more aggressive disease features, including higher staging, larger tumor size, increased rates of ETE and lymph node involvement. These findings underscore the importance of considering gender and race in risk stratification and treatment planning for patients with papillary thyroid cancer.

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Isabelle IF Fournier, MD, FRCSC

    MD, FRCSC
    University of Texas - MD Anderson Cancer Center
    Houston, TX, United States

    Disclosure(s):

    faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

    • Co-Author(s)

  • Mark E. Zafereo, MD

    Professor, Head & Neck Surgery
    University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
    Houston, TX, United States

    Disclosure(s):

    faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

  • JW

    Jennifer R Rui Wang, MD, PhD

    University of Texas - MD Anderson Cancer Center, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • Victoria E. Banuchi, MD, MPH

    Associate Professor
    MD Anderson Cancer Center
    Houston , TX, United States

    Disclosure(s):

    faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

  • NG

    Neil D D. Gross, MD

    Professor
    MD Anderson Cancer Center
    Houston, TX, United States

    Disclosure(s):

    faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

  • Miriam N N. Lango, MD

    Professor, Patient Safety and Quality Officer, Department of Head and Neck Surgery
    University of Texas - MD Anderson Cancer Center
    The Woodlands, TX, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • Ryan P P. Goepfert, MD

    Associate Professor
    University of Texas - MD Anderson Cancer Center
    Houston, TX, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • EM

    Erich M. Sturgis, MD, MPH

    Baylor College of Medicine, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • PG

    Paul H Graham, MD

    University of Texas - MD Anderson Cancer Center, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • EE

    Elizabeth Elizabeth Gardner Grubbs, MD

    University of Texas - MD Anderson Cancer Center, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • SG

    Sachin Kumar Gupta, MS, PhD

    University of Texas - MD Anderson Cancer Center, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • MC

    Maria E E. Cabanillas, MD

    Associate Professor
    University of Texas - MD Anderson Cancer Center
    Houston, Texas, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • Naifa L L. Busaidy, MD

    Professor
    University of Texas - MD Anderson Cancer Center
    Houston, TX, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • MH

    Mimi I Hu, MD

    University of Texas - MD Anderson Cancer Center, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • RD

    Ramona Dadu, MD

    University of Texas - MD Anderson Cancer Center, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • PI

    Priyanka Iyer, MD

    University of Texas - MD Anderson Cancer Center, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • SH

    Sarah Hamidi, MD, FRCPC

    University of Texas - MD Anderson Cancer Center, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • MK

    Michael Kwon, MD, PhD

    University of Texas - MD Anderson Cancer Center, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • SA

    Salmaan Ahmed, MD

    University of Texas - MD Anderson Cancer Center, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • MW

    Michelle D. Williams, MD

    Associate Professor
    University of Texas - MD Anderson Cancer Center
    Houston, Texas, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • SH

    S. Mohsen Hosseini, MD, PhD

    University of Texas - MD Anderson Cancer Center, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

    • Senior Author(s)

  • Anastasios Maniakas, MD, PhD, FRCSC

    Assistant Professor
    University of Texas - MD Anderson Cancer Center
    Houston, TX, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.