Thyroid cancer incidence rates have increased exponentially between 2000 and 2010 and there is significant geographical variation in the incidence of thyroid cancer throughout the Kingdom. Thyroid cancer has become the second most common cancer among young Saudi women with a male to female ratio at 0.3:1. Rising incidence of thyroid cancer in Saudi Arabia may be due to the increased detection and diagnosis of the thyroid cancers and not only an increase in the true occurrence of thyroid cancer. More studies are required to determine this significant difference at the molecular level.

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Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) patients with positive 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) post salvage chemotherapy or before high-dose chemotherapy and auto-SCT (HDC ASCT) have inferior outcomes. We reviewed 21 prognostic factors before salvage chemotherapy (at relapse/progression) and integrated post salvage FDG-PET results to develop a prognostic model for post HDC ASCT outcome. We used Fine and Gray method for competing risk analysis and regression model for risks assessment and outcome. One hundred and forty-one patients had post salvage FDG-PET before HDC ASCT (median age 25.5 years); male/female 55%:45%, relapsed/refractory 43%:57%, median follow-up 33 months. Multivariate analysis identified HL International Prognostic Score X3 (P ¼ 0.001; hazard ratio (HR): 3.7 (1.6-8.3)) and post salvage positive FDG-PET (P ¼ 0.011; HR: 3.4 (1.3-8.9)) with higher hazard of disease-specific death (model P ¼ 0.0001). Cumulative incidence of disease-specific death with 0, 1, 2 risk factors was 7%:29%:52%, respectively (P ¼ 0.00003). For disease-specific event (persistent, progressive or relapsed disease), mediastinal involvement (P ¼ 0.024; HR: 2.7 (1.14-6.5)), B symptoms (P ¼ 0.027; HR: 2.1 (1.09-4.2)) and positive post salvage FDG-PET (P ¼ 0.001; HR: 3.3 (1.7-6.7)) were significant (model P ¼o0.00001). Cumulative incidence of disease-specific event with 0, 1, 2, 3 risk factors was 8%:31%:50%:75%, respectively (P ¼ 0.0000006). Patients with higher scores have higher risk of treatment failure. They are potential candidates for newer therapies along with HDC ASCT.

GTNs have excellent prognosis if properly treated at experienced centers. Single-agent dactinomycin seems more effective for low-risk GTN. EMA-CO remains the preferred primary treatment regimen for high-risk group. The excellent outcome reflects the success of salvage therapy.

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