Suspicious Thyroid Fine Needle Aspiration Aspiration Biopsy: TSH as a Malignancy Marker?

Thyroid nodules are common, affecting from 5 to 15% of the population (Tunbridge et al., 1977; Vander et al., 1968). Thyroid cancer, on the other hand, is uncommon and represents only 5% of all nodules, with an incidence in the United States of 1/10,000 inhabitants (Davies & Welch, 2006). Among thyroid neoplasms, the differentiated carcinomas (DTC) are the most frequent, and are responsible for about 75% of the malignant nodules of this gland (Schlumberger & Pacini, 1997).