Thyroid microcarcimoma

Objective To investigate the clinicopathologic features and treatment of thyroid microcarcinoma (TMC). Methods From January 1997 to December 2006,311 patients who underwent surgery and defined as TMC(tumor size≤1 cm)were enrolled. Results TMC was identified incidentally by frozen pathologic examination on thyroidectomy specimens in tentative benign goiters in 181 patients; another 130 patients with clinically detectable primary tumors or suspected nodal metastases were grouped to as clinically overt TMC. The clinically overt TMC had a higher incidence of bilateral multifocal tumors (18.5%vs.9.4%,P=0.03),and cervical lymph node metastases(27.7%vs.10.5%,P=0.000)than that in clinically occult TMC group. Conclusion TMC may vary considerably in clinical and biologic behaviors between these two subtypes: clinically overt and occult. Lobectomy for single lesion, total or near total thyroidectomy for multifocal with central compartment nodal dissection should be performed, lateral nodal dissection was not carried out unless US or physical examination detected nodal metastases. Lobetomy, subtotal or more limited thyroidectomy for occult TMC, diagnosed incidentally following thyroid surgery for initially tentative benign thyroid disease, could all be treatment of choice depending on the preference of surgeons. Key words: Thyroid neoplasms; Thyroidectomy;  Neck dissection;  Microcarcinoma