A report of six cases of familial papillary thyroid cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Familial occurrence of papillary thyroid cancer is uncommon. The purpose of this study was review our own experience in a series of 267 papillary thyroid cancers.


METHODS
We analysed the clinical records of 267 consecutive patients operated on for papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) in our hospital between June 1980-March 2000.


RESULTS
We identified a family history in three families (6 patients), which results in a 2.25% familial papillary thyroid carcinoma (FPTC) rate. Pathology findings revealed that the tumour was multifocal and bilateral in 2 patients. Lymph-node metastases were found in 4 patients. They are all alive with a mean time of follow-up of 74.3 months (range 2-120).


CONCLUSIONS
We recommend that patients with familial disease should be treated according to the disease stage and other risk factors, similar to those with sporadic differentiated papillary thyroid cancer. We encourage the further reporting and pedigree analysis to identify patients affected by FPTC.
Orsenigo
Elena
E
Department of Surgery, University Vita e Salute of San Raffaele, Milan, Italy. elenaors@libero.it
Beretta
Edoardo
E
Gini
Paola
P
Verrecchia
Francesco
F
Invernizzi
Laura
L
Fiorina
Paolo
P
Di Carlo
Valerio
V
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
D006680:HLA Antigens