Tall cell papillary thyroid cancer: incidence and prognosis.
BACKGROUND
The tall cell variant (TCV) of papillary thyroid cancer is reported to have a poor prognosis. This study examines the incidence and end result of surgical treatment of TCV.


METHODS
In this study, 240 thyroid cancers treated over a 23-year period at two hospital centers are reviewed. A total of 153 patients with papillary cancer were available for follow-up. All microscopic slides were re-examined.


RESULTS
Of the total 183 papillary cancers, 19 (10.4%) were TCV. The remainder were usual papillary or other papillary cancer variants. Patient age, tumor size, lymph node and soft-tissue involvement, recurrence, and death rates were evaluated. Multivariate statistical analysis disclosed that TCV histology, as well as age and tumor size, were significant predictors of recurrence.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite a high rate of recurrence in TCV cases over age 50 (6/9), there were no recurrent TCVs in cases under age 50 (0/8). Pathologists and surgeons must develop an increased awareness of this entity and implications for more radical treatment in the older age group.
Department of Surgery, Brooklyn Hospital Center, New York, New York 10012.
J H
JH
Terry
S A
SA
St John
F J
FJ
Karkowski
J R
JR
Suarez
N H
NH
Yassa
C D
CD
Platica
J R
JR
Marti
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*