Bridging the deficit: Assessing knowledge gaps in thyroid cancer management amongst physicians in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Table 1 Respondents’ knowledge of thyroid cancer, n (%)

Question	Correct answer	Incorrect answer	Total
Most affected gender by thyroid cancer	273 (74)	96 (26)	369
Age group most at risk for developing thyroid cancer	194 (52.6)	175 (47.4)	369
Most common type of thyroid cancer	149 (40.4)	220 (59.6)	369
Risk factors for thyroid cancer	122 (33.1)	247 (66.9)	369
Most common treatment for thyroid cancer	189 (51.2)	180 (48.8)	369
Type of thyroid cancer associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia	162 (43.9)	207 (56.1)	369
Most aggressive type of thyroid cancer	167 (45.3)	202 (54.7)	369
Most common symptom of thyroid cancer	244 (66.1)	125 (33.9)	369
Factors involved in the etiology of thyroid cancer	189 (51.2)	180 (48.8)	369
Familial forms associated with medullary thyroid cancer	150 (40.7)	219 (57.3)	369
Risk posed by elevated TSH levels in the context of a thyroid nodule	179 (48.5)	190 (51.5)	369
Thyroid cancer associated with the use of GLP-1 analogs	109 (29.5)	260 (70.5)	369
Factor most associated with thyroid cancer in patients with a thyroid nodule	160 (43.4)	209 (56.6)	369
Link between iodine deficiency and thyroid cancer	222 (60.2)	147 (39.8)	369
Tumor suppressor gene P53 mutation and thyroid autoimmunity	1 (0.3)	368 (99.7)	369
Thyroid cancer and receptor mutations	91 (24.7)	278 (75.3)	369
Genetic mutations in differentiated thyroid cancers compared to anaplastic type	259 (70.2)	110 (29.8)	369
Histological type of thyroid cancer with the highest recurrence rate	78 (21.1)	291 (78.9)	369
Factors associated with an increased risk of recurrence in thyroid cancer patients	153 (41.5)	216 (58.5)	369
Organ most commonly affected by distant metastases in thyroid cancer	154 (41.7)	215 (58.3)	369
Factors associated with poor prognosis in thyroid cancer patients	35 (9.5)	334 (90.5)	369
Most common cause of death in thyroid cancer patients	107 (31.1)	262 (68.9)	369

TSH: Thyroid-stimulating hormone; GLP-1: Glucagon-like peptide-1.

Table 2 Respondents’ workup of thyroid cancer, n (%)

Question	Correct answer	Incorrect answer	Total
Initial hormonal workup in the case of a thyroid nodule	244 (66.1)	125 (33.9)	369
Follow-up evaluation of operated thyroid cancer	26 (7)	343 (93)	369
EU-TIRADS scores indicating fine-needle aspiration	26 (7)	343 (93)	369
Bethesda scores immediately suggesting surgery	20 (5.4)	349 (94.6)	369
First-line imaging for thyroid nodules	182 (49.3)	187 (50.7)	369
Diagnostic tools for metastases or recurrence of thyroid cancer	220 (59.6)	149 (40.4)	369
Confirmation of thyroid cancer diagnosis	256 (69.4)	113 (30.6)	369

EU-TIRADS: European Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System.

Table 3 Respondents’ management of thyroid cancer, n (%)

Question	Correct answer	Incorrect answer	Total
Time for repeat fine-needle aspiration in the case of Bethesda 1	163 (44.2)	206 (55.8)	369
Complications of thyroid carcinoma surgery	36 (9.8)	333 (90.2)	369
Types of thyroid cancer requiring radiotherapy after surgery in the presence of metastases	19 (5.1)	350 (94.9)	369
Management of hypothyroidism post-thyroidectomy	198 (53.7)	171 (46.3)	369
Management of hypoparathyroidism post-thyroidectomy	226 (61.2)	143 (38.8)	369
Treatment of anaplastic thyroid cancer	24 (6.5)	345 (93.5)	369
Stopping levothyroxine before iodine uptake for detecting metastases	222 (60.2)	147 (39.8)	369
EU-TIRADS grades indicating surgery without fine-needle aspiration results	175 (47.4)	194 (52.6)	369
True or false: Medullary thyroid cancer is sensitive to iodine and can be treated with it	166 (45)	203 (55)	369
Organs most commonly affected by metastases in thyroid carcinoma	19 (5.1)	350 (94.9)	369

EU-TIRADS: European Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System.