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NCT Number: NCT05604963

Hemithyroidectomy or Total-Thyroidectomy in 'Low-risk' Thyroid Cancers

This is a multi-centre, randomised, non-inferiority, phase III study in patients with low risk differentiated thyroid cancer.

Patients will be identified via oncology multidisciplinary team meetings. There will be two sources of patients in the trial, with the same histological diagnoses and prognosis (i.e. recurrence risk):

* Group 1: Patients who have already had a HT for thyroid problems and are then subsequently diagnosed with low risk DTC will be randomised 1:1 to undergo surveillance only OR a second operation to remove the rest of their thyroid gland (two-stage total thyroidectomy). * Group 2: Patients diagnosed with low risk DTC using cytology (Thy5) but no surgery performed will be randomised 1:1 to have either a hemi-thyroidectomy OR a single-stage total thyroidectomy.

The overall aim of the trial is to determine whether hemithyroidectomy is an acceptable and cost-effective surgical procedure compared to total thyroidectomy in low risk thyroid cancer. Overall, 456 patients will be recruited to the trial. Patients will be initially be followed up post-surgery then 12 monthly for 6 years.

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Key information

Conditions

Differentiated Thyroid Cancer

Age range

16 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Leighton Hospital, Crewe, Cheshire, United Kingdom

Loading trial locations.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Group 1 (HT already performed prior to diagnosis)

Inclusion criteria

  • Aged 16 or over

Papillary thyroid cancer:

  • pT1b-2 (≤4cm) irrespective of molecular genetic markers
  • R0 resection (clinically excised but microscopic R1 resected tumours at discretion of the local MDT)
  • cN0 or pN0, pNX & pN1a (≤5 foci, no extranodal spread)
  • Confined to thyroid or minimal extrathyroidal extension
  • No higher risk histological variants on morphology (small foci allowed at the discretion of the local MDT)
  • No angioinvasion NB. PTC is still eligible where microscopic invasion of endothelial lined small capillary vascular spaces and lymphatic channels are present. It becomes ineligible in the rare instances when there is definite invasion of a larger vascular structure such as a vein with smooth muscle in its wall.
  • Encapsulated FVPTC with capsular invasion only
  • Micro-PTC (≤1cm)
  • multifocal
  • unifocal with pN1a (≤5 foci; no extranodal spread)

Follicular thyroid cancer (FTC), including oncocytic or Hürthle cell carcinoma:

  • pT1b-2 (≤4cm) irrespective of molecular genetic markers
  • Minimally invasive, with capsular invasion +/- minimal (≤4 foci) vascular invasion (the latter is now called encapsulated angioinvasive and is at the discretion of the MDT)
  • Confined to thyroid or minimal extrathyroidal extension

Exclusion criteria

  • >4cm
  • unifocal pT1a (≤1cm) PTC or FTC (unless pN1a as above)
  • NIFTP (non-invasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features)
  • Anaplastic, poorly differentiated or medullary thyroid carcinoma
  • R2
  • gross extrathyroidal extension
  • pT4 or macroscopic tumour invasion of loco-regional tissues or structures
  • pN1a with >5 foci or extranodal spread
  • pN1b
  • M1
  • Aggressive PTC with any of the following features:
  • Widely invasive
  • Poorly differentiated
  • Anaplastic
  • predominance of Tall cell, Columnar cell, Hobnail, Diffuse sclerosing and other higher risk variants
  • FTC, including oncocytic or Hürthle cell cancer with any of the following features:
  • Minimally invasive with extensive vascular invasion (now called encapsulated angioinvasive) (>4 foci)
  • Widely invasive
  • Poorly differentiated
  • Anaplastic

Group 2 (DTC on cytology or after core biopsy, who has not had prior thyroid surgery yet)

Inclusion criteria

  • Aged 16 or over
  • 'low risk' differentiated thyroid cancer confirmed by cytology or core biopsy.
  • cT1b-2 irrespective of molecular genetic markers
  • cN0
  • Contralateral lobe without suspicious nodule(s) (U2, or U3/U4 with Thy2 on FNAC)

Exclusion criteria

  • M1

Treatment and study plan

Total thyroidectomy

Procedure

Total Thyroidectomy - surgical removal of entire thyroid gland

Hemithyroidectomy

Procedure

Hemithyroidectomy - surgical removal of partial thyroid gland

Primary outcomes

  1. 3 Year Recurrence Rate

    Time frame: From surgery to any signs or symptoms of the cancer or death assessed up to a maximum of 3 years from surgery date

    (defined as thyroid cancer recurrence, metastatic disease or death from thyroid cancer (whichever occurs first))

Secondary outcomes

  1. 5 Year Recurrence Rate

    Time frame: From surgery to any signs or symptoms of the cancer or death assessed up to a maximum of 5 years from surgery date

    (defined as thyroid cancer recurrence, metastatic disease or death from thyroid cancer (whichever occurs first))

  2. Anatomical Site of Recurrence

    Time frame: From surgery to confirmed recurrence assessed up to a maximum of 5 years from surgery date

    Location of recurrence

  3. Risk of Loco-Regional Recurrence

    Time frame: From surgery to confirmed recurrence assessed up to a maximum of 5 years from surgery date

    (based on time to recurrence in the neck only)

  4. Number of Additional Investigations and Procedures after Surgery

    Time frame: 2-4 weeks and 6, 18, 30, 42, 54, 66 and 78 months from date of surgery

    Number of further investigations/procedures related to the patient's thyroid surgery or thyroid cancer e.g. imaging, blood test, biopsy etc.

  5. Type of Additional Investigations and Procedures after Surgery

    Time frame: 2-4 weeks and 6, 18, 30, 42, 54, 66 and 78 months from date of surgery

    Type of further investigations/procedures related to the patient's thyroid surgery or thyroid cancer e.g. imaging, blood test, biopsy etc.

  6. Voice Function

    Time frame: Surgical complications and severity: From surgery date to discharge, 2-4 weeks, 6 months and 18 months from date of surgery; Voice Function: Post-randomisation/pre-surgery, 2-4 weeks and 6, 18, 30, 42, 54, 66 and 78 months from date of surgery.

    Measured using the Voice Handicap Index questionnaire (VHI-10); scores range from 0-40 with higher scores indicating greater voice-related handicap

  7. Surgical complications and severity

    Time frame: Surgical complications and severity: From surgery date to discharge, 2-4 weeks, 6 months and 18 months from date of surgery; Voice Function: Post-randomisation/pre-surgery, 2-4 weeks and 6, 18, 30, 42, 54, 66 and 78 months from date of surgery.

    Using CTCAE v5.0 and the highest grade of each event type for each patient

  8. Requirement for Hormone Replacement Therapy

    Time frame: From surgery date to discharge, 2-4 weeks and 6, 18, 30, 42, 54, 66 and 78 months from date of surgery.

    (percentage of patients who require this therapy compared between the trial arms)

  9. Health Related Quality of Life (EORTC QLQ-C30)

    Time frame: Baseline (post-randomisation/pre-surgery), 2-4 weeks and 6, 18, 30, 42, 54, 66 and 78 months from date of surgery.

    Measured using EORTC QLQ-C30; Scales range from 0-100 with higher scores for the functioning scales and global health status indicating higher QoL and higher scores on the symptom and single-item scales indicating lower QoL

  10. Health Related Quality of Life (EORTC QLQ-THY35)

    Time frame: Baseline (post-randomisation/pre-surgery), 2-4 weeks and 6, 18, 30, 42, 54, 66 and 78 months from date of surgery.

    Measured using EORTC QLQ-THY35; Scales range from 0-100 with higher scores indicating higher QoL and lower scores indicating lower QoL

  11. Health Related Quality of Life (EQ-5D-5L)

    Time frame: Baseline (post-randomisation/pre-surgery), 2-4 weeks and 6, 18, 30, 42, 54, 66 and 78 months from date of surgery.

    Measured using EQ-5D-5L; EQVAS score ranges from 0-100 with higher scores indicating higher QoL and lower scores indicating lower QoL; EQ-5D-5L index scores range from -0.224-1 with higher scores indicating higher QoL and lower scores indicating lower QoL

  12. Health Related Quality of Life (FoP-Q-SF)

    Time frame: Baseline (post-randomisation/pre-surgery), 2-4 weeks and 6, 18, 30, 42, 54, 66 and 78 months from date of surgery.

    Measured using FoP-Q-SF; scores range from 12-60 with higher scores indicating lower QoL and lower scores indicating higher QoL

  13. Cost and Health Resource Use (EQ-5D-5L)

    Time frame: a. Baseline, 2-4 weeks and 6, 18, 30, 42, 54, 66 & 78 months from date of surgery. b. From surgery date to discharge, 2-4 weeks and 6, 18, 30, 42, 54, 66 & 78 months from date of surgery. c/d. 6, 18, 30, 42, 54, 66 & 78 months from date of surgery

    Measured using EQ-5D-5L (generic QoL)

  14. Cost and Health Resource Use (EORTC QLQ-C30)

    Time frame: a. Baseline, 2-4 weeks and 6, 18, 30, 42, 54, 66 & 78 months from date of surgery. b. From surgery date to discharge, 2-4 weeks and 6, 18, 30, 42, 54, 66 & 78 months from date of surgery. c/d. 6, 18, 30, 42, 54, 66 & 78 months from date of surgery

    Measured using EORTC QLQ-C30 (cancer-specific QoL)

  15. Cost and Health Resource Use (EORTC QLQ-THY34)

    Time frame: a. Baseline, 2-4 weeks and 6, 18, 30, 42, 54, 66 & 78 months from date of surgery. b. From surgery date to discharge, 2-4 weeks and 6, 18, 30, 42, 54, 66 & 78 months from date of surgery. c/d. 6, 18, 30, 42, 54, 66 & 78 months from date of surgery

    Measured using EORTC QLQ-THY34 (Cancer site specific QoL)

  16. Secondary Care Health Resource Use

    Time frame: a. Baseline, 2-4 weeks and 6, 18, 30, 42, 54, 66 & 78 months from date of surgery. b. From surgery date to discharge, 2-4 weeks and 6, 18, 30, 42, 54, 66 & 78 months from date of surgery. c/d. 6, 18, 30, 42, 54, 66 & 78 months from date of surgery

    Collected using eCRFs and retrospectively for the study period from data in the Hospital Episodes Statistics linked to records in the NCRAS

  17. Primary Care Health Resource Use

    Time frame: a. Baseline, 2-4 weeks and 6, 18, 30, 42, 54, 66 & 78 months from date of surgery. b. From surgery date to discharge, 2-4 weeks and 6, 18, 30, 42, 54, 66 & 78 months from date of surgery. c/d. 6, 18, 30, 42, 54, 66 & 78 months from date of surgery

    Collected using eCRFs (Review of Primary Care Visits)

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Jeannie Chamberlain

CONTACT

[email protected]

020 3108 4875

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University College, London

Other

Collaborators

  • National Institute for Health Research, United Kingdom

Registry information

Acronym: HoT

Important dates

Study start
2022
Primary completion
2028
Study completion
2031
First posted
Nov 3, 2022
Registry last updated
Mar 5, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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