Principles of medullary thyroid cancer staging according to AJCC TNM 8th edition

Abstract

Aim. The research aims at analyzing the main changes in classification of medullary thyroid cancer and outlining the principles of staging according to modern studies. Material and Methods. Specific scientific articles for the period of 2009-2019 referring to the principles and rules of the TNM classification process, as well as recommendations of the TNM committees of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) and the International Union Against Cancer (IUAC) were selected for the analysis. The basic principles of classification and staging for 8th edition of TNM, as well as changes that have taken place in comparison with 7th edition of TNM It were defined. Results and Discussion. Medullary thyroid cancer accounts for 1-2 percent in the structure of cancers of the thyroid gland, however it is associated with a high mortality rate compared to highly differentiated forms of thyroid cancer. The main radical method of treatment is an adequate volume of surgical intervention, which is determined on the basis of proper staging, the use of visualization methods and the practical experience of doctors. The 7th edition of the TNM was introduced to the scientific society in 2009. It has been 10 years since a new version of the 8th edition based on the new data in evidence-based medicine appeared. It included numerous changes and additions, namely for medullary thyroid cancer. The following research suggests a detailed review and analysis of the basic principles of the staging and classification of medullary thyroid cancer for AJCC TNM-8 in order to improve the diagnosis and treatment of patients with the mentioned above disease. Conclusions. The use of modern principles of classification and staging of medullary thyroid cancer in clinical practice promotes choosing the adequate treatment method and estimating the patient's prognosis. In addition, further improvement of the staging system by TNM-committee and cancer registers depends on the presence of detailed information on additional "parameters for collection and further evaluation" in medical documentation.