Is a new cancer risk score for thyroid nodules suitable in any clinical setting.

The CUT score is a new cancer risk score for thyroid nodules derived from the results of a meta-analysis of published literature on the clinical and ultrasonographic features of thyroid nodules at increased risk of malignancy.

The sum of each clinical (C) and/or ultrasonographic (U) feature results in the C+U score, ranging from 0 to 10. This score along with the five-tiered score of the fine-needle aspiration results (T = 1–5) determines the final ‘‘CUT’’ score of the TN.

The C+U score:

helps to select thyroid nodules requiring fine-needle aspiration (e.g., the thyroid nodule with the highest C+U score in a multinodular goiter)

when the thyroid cytology is avalaible, allows to assess the risk of malignancy of the thyroid nodule.

This tool is intentionally developed on easily avalaible clinical data in order to allow physicians and patients to apply the ‘‘CUT’’ score in any clinical setting using basic US technology.

The CUT score originated from two published studies:

1) Campanella Paolo, Ianni Francesca, Rota Carlo Antonio, Corsello Salvatore Maria, Pontecorvi Alfredo. Quantification of cancer risk of each clinical and ultrasonographic suspicious feature of thyroid nodules: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Endocrinol. 2014 Apr 10;170(5):R203-11. doi: 10.1530/EJE-13-0995.

2) Ianni Francesca, Campanella Paolo, Rota Carlo Antonio, Prete Alessandro, Castellino Laura, Pontecorvi Alfredo, Corsello Salvatore Maria. A meta-analysis-derived proposal for a clinical, ultrasonographic, and cytological scoring system to evaluate thyroid nodules: the "CUT" score. Endocrine. 2015 Oct 30.