Management of papillary carcinoma arising in thyroglossal-duct anlage.
Cysts of the thyroglossal duct are common congenital abnormalities. They present as asymptomatic midline cervical swellings. The risk of malignant change is low; only 103 cases have been reported in the world literature, 85% of which were papillary adenocarcinomas. The appropriate treatment for this condition remains controversial. The authors describe three patients who had papillary carcinoma contained within a thyroglossal-duct rest. All were treated by cyst resection and thyroid suppression, but without thyroidectomy and radioactive thyroid ablation. Postoperatively, all patients remained disease free, with no recurrence at follow-up ranging from 10 to 29 years. Isolated papillary carcinomas arising from primitive thyroid remnants, associated with a palpably normal thyroid gland at surgery and a negative thyroid scan, can be treated adequately by excising the thyroglossal mass.
Maziak
D
D
Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, St. Joseph's Health Centre, Ont.
Borowy
Z J
ZJ
Deitel
M
M
Jaksic
T
T
Ralph-Edwards
A
A
D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013955:Thyroglossal Cyst / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*