ECE2014 Poster Presentations Thyroid Cancer (70 abstracts)
1Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia; 2School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia; 3Institute for Oncology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Serbia.
Background: Papillary thyroid carcinoma in children and adolescents is rare but it shows aggressive behavior. Gross lymph node metastases and distant metastases are common on first clinical presentation.
Patients and methods: Forty-eight children and adolescents were operated due to PTC. Mean age was 16.6 years (range 721). At the time of diagnosis 13% had lung metastases. Total thyroidectomy or completion of thyroidectomy was performed in all cases followed with central neck dissection and frozen section examination of lower jugulo-carotid compartments.
Results: Median tumor size was 1.9 cm. PTC was found in 47 and FTC in one patient. Multifocal tumors were found in 37% and capsular invasion in 29% and vascular invasion in 24% of cases. LNM in either central or lateral neck compartments were found in 76% of patients. Capsular and vascular invasion were significantly more frequent in children <16 years of age. Median follow-up was 127 months. Overall survival rate was 100%.
Conclusion: PTC in children and adolescents is characterized with high incidence of loco-regional aggressiveness, multifocality, lymph node metastases, and distant metastases at the time of diagnosis. Adequate surgical approach, total thyroidectomy, central neck dissection, and uni/billateral MRND when indicated, should be performed in both primary and recurrent disease in young patients with PTC.