Lethal thyroid carcinoma.
Forty-three patients who died of thyroid carcinoma (29 well-differentiated and 14 poorly differentiated tumors) were evaluated to define the parameters that affect the lethal nature of this tumor. Differentiated, limited extent of tumor and a young age at diagnosis correlated favorably with length of survival. Sex showed a trend in favor of female patients, while specific histologic characteristics and extent of resection showed no positive correlation. Based on these findings and a review of the literature, we recommend a radical approach in the management of localized, poorly differentiated tumors. For well-differentiated cancer, resection of the thyroid gland and the paratracheal, jugular, and upper mediastinal lymph nodes is advised.
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000401:mortality; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000401:mortality*; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality*