ECE2013 Poster Presentations Thyroid cancer (64 abstracts)
1Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism Department, Coimbras University Hospital, Coimbra, Portugal; 2Clinical Pathology Department, Coimbras University Hospital, Coimbra, Portugal.
Introduction: Thyroglobulin (TG) measurement in fine needle aspirates cytology (FNAC) needle washout has become an important method for diagnostic of cervical lymph nodes, particularly in patients with differentiated thyroid cancers, but also in some patients before the diagnostic. We report some clinical cases to confirm its importance in these situations.
Patients and methods: In our department we use this method since 2007. We report seven patients with thyroid disease referred to our department. The ultrasound examination revealed the presence of suspicious cervical lymph nodes. FNAC was performed in the thyroid nodules. The lymph nodes were punction for cytology, together with the TG in the needle washout in the last.
Results: From the patients with high TG, four were already submitted to thyroidectomy, confirming the diagnostic of papillary cancer. Patient 5 has TG antibody elevated, which can contribute to the low level of TG.
Pts | Lymph node citology | TG (needle) | Nodule cytology | Gender | Age | Previous cytology |
1 | Th. tumour? | 24 837 ng/ml | Insufficient | Female | 65 | Insuf |
2 | Insufficient | 250 219 | Papillary | Female | 36 | Coloid |
3 | Insufficient | 15 999 | Coloid | Female | 43 | Coloid |
4 | Insufficient | 12 259 | Coloid | Female | 34 | Coloid |
5 | Papillary m | 48 | | Male | 19 | Insuf |
6 | Lymphoma | <0.2 | Insufficient | Male | 36 | |
7 | Lymphoma | <0.2 | | Male | 28 | |
Conclusion: In these patients, TG in the needle washout in FNAC proved to be a good contribution to the diagnostic of malignancy, making its treatment faster and more efficient. The role of this method is particularly relevant due to the high rate of insufficiency in the cytology of lymph nodes (cystic).