CARCINOMA OF THE THYROID-AN ANALYSIS OF A PERSONAL SERIES

Abstract

In this study the medical records of 17.619 patients with various thyroid disorders have been reviewed retrospectively who have been treated and followed up personally by the senior author E.D. between 1978-1993. Among these patients there were 182 patients with thyroid carcinoma (TC) (1%) who have been treated surgically and analyzed for morbidity, recurrence and mortality. The incidence of thyroid carcinoma among patients with multinodular goiter was 6%. There were 158 women and 24 men with a mean age of 38.3 years. The diagnosis of TC was established by fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) alone in 33%, by FNAB +frozen section examination in 48%. The final pathological examination revealed papillary cancer (PC) in 71%, follicular cancer (FC) in 21%, medullary cancer (MC) in 4% and anaplastic cancer in 4%. 45 patients were referred for postoperative I 131 treatment. Permanent hypoparathyroidism occurred in 2.2%, permanent superior laryngeal nerve injury occurred in 1.6%. There was no permanent inferior laringeal nerve injury. The recurrence rate was 9%, the mortality rate was 6%. The median follow up time was 62 months (2-178 months).

In conclusion, if performed safely, total or near total thyroidectomy is the method of choice in patients with preoperatively diagnosed thyroid carcinoma.