Prognostic role and characteristics of the indeterminate response in differentiated thyroid cancer: a systematic review

The management of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is actually based on a dynamic risk stratification based on classes of response to the therapy. Indeterminate response (IR) includes a heterogeneous group of patients with different characteristics, particularly different Tg and AbTg levels and/or imaging findings. The aim of systematic review (SR) is to evaluate the prognosis, diagnostic findings and other characteristics of patients in the IR class.

A wide literature search in the Scopus, PubMed/MEDLINE and Web of Science databases was performed to find published articles on patients with DTC and IR after treatment. The quality assessment of studies was carried out using QUADAS-2 evaluation.

Eight articles were included in the systematic review. Six studies evaluated the prognosis and the prognostic factor in patients with IR, one study evaluated the role of 2-[¹⁸F]FDG PET-CT in the management of patients with IR and biochemical incomplete response and one study the risk factors for IR.

Patients with DTC and IR to therapy have a probability of disease relapse < 15%. Tg value could be a predictor of disease progression. The role of 2-[¹⁸F]FDG PET-CT needs to be further investigated.