To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: Smallest Thyroid Nodules Can Metastasise Aggressively: Presented at ACS URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/22EFC6.htm Doctor's Guide October 17, 2008
By Roberta Friedman, PhD SAN FRANCISCO -- October 17, 2008 -- Small papillary microcarcinomas (PMCs) of the thyroid can turn out to be aggressive, according to data from a study of 1,640 thyroid nodule surgeries, some of which found PMCs that were incidental to the original surgical target. Dale Han, MD, Division of Endocrine and Oncologic Surgery, University of Pennsylvania Health System, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, presented the results here on October 15 at the American College of Surgeons (ACS) 94th Annual Clinical Congress. Data collected from 1,640 thyroid nodule surgeries between 1996 and 2007 represent a single surgeon's experience with these small tumours (<1 cm). Group 1 was defined as patients whose primary target nodule turned out to have a PMC and group 2 consisted of patients whose PMC was incidental to a lesion under investigation. Incidental PMCs were found during removal of a nodule that turned out to be benign, and also in surgeries for goitre, Grave's disease, and other reasons. "Incidentally-found tumours were significantly smaller," said Dr. Han. Of the 154 incidental PMCs, none had recurred in the 49 months average follow-up. Of the 123 targeted nodules that turned out to be PMCs as the dominant pathology, 13 eventually produced metastases, 6 of these to the cervical lymphatic system. Average time to recurrence was 13.2 months. No deaths resulted from the thyroid cancers in the study. Thus, when found as the dominant pathology in a nodule, PMCs can behave aggressively by invading lymph nodes, often as similarly small tumours (<=0.5 cm), the study authors noted. These smaller PMCs had higher rates of invasion into the thyroid lymphatic system. Vascular and capsular invasion was higher for tumours <0.5 cm. "The ability to invade may be acquired early," said Dr. Han, "and may not depend on tumour size. If PMC is found off an aspirated nodule, do a thyroidectomy," he concluded. [Presentation title: Papillary Microcarcinoma: A Benign Finding or a Clinically Aggressive Lesion?] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1999 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of P\S\L content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of P\S\L. P\S\L shall not be liable for any errors, omissions or delays in this content or any other content on its sites, newsletters or other publications, nor for any decisions or actions taken in reliance on such content. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This news story was printed from *Doctor's Guide to the Internet* located at http://www.docguide.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to News Story Page This site is maintained by webmaster@pslgroup.com Please contact us with any comments, problems or bugs. All contents Copyright (c) 1998 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved.