The role of hemogram parameters in the differentiation of malignant and benign thyroid nodules.

Introduction and Purpose: Thyroid nodules are commonly observed, with more than 90% being benign and approximately 4%-6.5% exhibiting malignant characteristics. In the diagnostic process, fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) performed under ultrasound guidance is considered a standard method. In this study, cases with nodules detected through thyroid ultrasonography and those who underwent fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) due to suspected malignancy were examined. The role of hemogram parameters was evaluated in patients whose biopsy results were reported as benign or malignant. Materials and Methods: Patients who underwent Fine-Needle Aspiration Biopsy (FNAB) performed by the Interventional Radiology and Endocrinology Clinic at Dicle University Faculty of Medicine Hospital between September 2022 and November 2024, and whose results were reported as either malignant or benign, were included in the study. These cases were evaluated in terms of the role of hemogram parameters. Results: A total of 80 patients who met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. Of these patients, 77.5% (n=62) were female, and 22.5% (n=18) were male. The mean age of the patients was 50.6 ± 12.54 years, with 82.5% (n=66) being in the ≥40 age group. Among the patients, 60% (n=48) were diagnosed as benign, while 40% (n=32) were in the malignant group (Figure 1).Patients were categorized into two groups based on their diagnosis (benign-malignant). When comparing the hemogram parameters between these groups, it was observed that neutrophil, NLR, NPL, and PLR values were higher in the malignant group compared to the benign group. However, no statistically significant difference was found between the groups for any of these parameters.Patients were also divided into two groups based on gender (female-male). In the comparison of hemogram parameters between these groups, males had higher mean values for neutrophil, NLR, hemoglobin, and NPL compared to females. However, no statistically significant difference was found between the groups for any of these parameters.Patients were further categorized into two age groups (<40 years - ≥40 years). When comparing the hemogram parameters between these age groups, neutrophil, NLR, hemoglobin, NPL, and PLR values were found to be higher in the ≥40 age group than in the <40 age group. Nevertheless, none of these differences were statistically significant (p>0.05). Conclusion: Our study found that hemogram parameters did not show a statistically significant difference in distinguishing benign and malignant thyroid nodules. However, further large-scale and multicenter studies are needed to evaluate the potential use of these parameters as prognostic or supportive markers.