Endocrine Abstracts

Aim: Thyroid cancer comprises the most common endocrine malignancy and a variety of studies have examined the incidence of microcarcinomas in benign thyroid disorders. Objective of the present retrospective study was the assessment of the possible influence of age and gender parameters in the presence of thyroid microcarcinoma in a patient cohort with non-autonomous thyroid disorders and without cytological establishment of cancer who underwent total thyroidectomy.

Patients-methods: Between 1.1.2005 and 01.03.2010 186 patients (146 females/40 males) underwent total thyroidectomy because of nodular goiter in our Department. The classification of patients in both genders was conducted in the following age-groups: a=20–39 y, b=40-59 y, c=>60 y. Thyroid specimens were histopathologically examined at the University Pathology Department for the establischment of the final diagnosis of benignity or malignancy. Thyroid cancer cases were categorised in relation to gender and age group.

Results: 32 patients (17.2%) were diagnosed with microcarcinoma (rate females:males 2.2:1), while 154 patients (82.8%) were free of malignancy. The incidence of thyroid cancer in male subjects was 25.0% (10/40) and mainly in the subgroup of solitary nodule compared to multinodular goiter (41.67 vs 17.86%). The respective cancer freguency in female subjects was 15.0% (22/146). The incidence of microcarcinoma per age group was in males: a=4/9; 44.4%, b=1/15; 6.67% and c=5/16; 31.25% (P=0.089). In females it was respectively: a=7/40; 17.5%, b=9/73; 12.3%, c=6/33; 18.2% (P=0.650).

Conclusions: Thyroid microcarcinoma shows an elevated incidence in males with non-toxic goiter, especially in the age groups 20–39 y and >60 y. Total thyroidectomy appears to be the therapeutic method of choice in men with indication of surgical removement of an euthyroid goiter which belong to the above age groups. Contrarily, there is no statistically significant variation of microcarcinoma incidence in women with benign thyroid disorders in relation to age.