The comprehensive treatment of differentiated thyroid carcinoma in children

Abstract

Objective To investigate the clinic characteristics and rational comprehensive treatment of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) in children.Methods The clinic data of 37 children under 14 years of age with DTC that admitted from January 2000 to January 2008 were analyzed retrospectively.Of them,total thyroidectomy was taken in one case of follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC,2.7%),and total thyroidectomy combined with different range of neck lymph dissection that depended on the size of focus and the metastasis status during operation.,were taken in 36 cases with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC,97.3%) The postoperative Radioiodine therapy and TSH suppressive therapy were applied selectively.Results Postoperative complications occurred in 2 cases (5.4%),including hemorrhage and recurrent laryngeal nerve injury respectively.Twelve cases had multiple foci carcinoma (32.40/40) and 34 cases (91.9%) associated with lymph node metastases.All patients were followed up with an average of 3.8 years.The incidence of death,local recurrence and distant metastasis was 0%,18.9% and 8.1% respectively.Conclusions The prognosis of thyroid carcinoma in children is favorable.The authors recommended that the comprehensive treatment should be included total thyroidectomy,different range of local lymph dissection combined with radioiodine therapy and TSH suppressive therapy. Key words: Thyroid neoplasms; Surgical procedures,operative; Endocrine therapy; Radiotherapy; Iodine radioisotopes