Surgical treatment of recurrent differentiated thyroid carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To describe our experience of treating recurrent thyroid carcinoma.


METHODS
Retrospective study of casenotes.


METHODS
Teaching hospital, Mexico.


METHODS
20 patients who developed recurrences of 273 who presented with well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma between 1991 and 1999.


METHODS
Presentation, management, morbidity, and mortality.


RESULTS
There were 18 men and 2 women, median age 51 years (range 28-75). 13 were treated initially by total thyroidectomy and 7 with less than total resection. 16 were given ablative doses of 311I. The median time between initial resection and recurrence was 3 years (range 1-6). The sites of recurrence were cervical lymph nodes (n = 12), thyroid bed (n = 3), or both (n = 5). During a median of 3 years 10 patients were free of disease and 2 had died.


CONCLUSIONS
Well-differentiated thyroid cancer usually recurs in the cervical lymph nodes. Further resection offers a high cure rate.
Dávila-Cervantes
Andrea
A
Department of Surgery, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, Mexico.
Gamino
Rosa
R
González
Ofelia
O
Herrera
Miguel F
MF
D018263:Adenocarcinoma, Follicular / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000601:surgery*; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*