Are the Clinical and Pathological Features of Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma Really Changed over the Last 35 Years? Study on 4187 Patients from a Single Italian Institution to Answer this Question

Abstract

DTC patients diagnosed after 1990 have smaller tumors with less advanced stage and a better prognosis. The question of whether this is related to the finding of tumors with a low clinical penetrance or to the anticipation of diagnosis remains to be clarified. Despite these significant differences, both advanced stage and older age still represent the most important poor prognostic factors for survival.