Pattern of thyroid malignancy at a University Hospital in Western Saudi Arabia.
OBJECTIVE
The aim is to study the incidence of thyroid cancer in surgically treated nodular thyroid disease, clinicopathological characteristics and treatment results.


METHODS
A retrospective review of 45 patients with thyroid malignancy at King Abdul-Aziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during a 3-years period between January 2000 through to December 2003 was carried out. Analysis of clinicopathologic characteristics, age correlation to different risk factors, outcome of surgery and radioiodine treatment.


RESULTS
A total of 120 thyroidectomies were performed during the 3-years period, January 2000 through to December 2003 at King Abdul-Aziz University Hospital. Forty-five (37.5%) patients had histopathology confirmed diagnosis of thyroid cancer. Eighty-two point two percent cases of papillary carcinoma, 4.4% follicular type and 6.7% anaplastic and medullary carcinoma of thyroid. Mean age was 40.5 +/- 14.8 years. Male preponderance was seen in this study with males: female's ratio is 1.1:1. Nodular goiter was the most frequent presentation, observed in 30 (66.7%) cases. Fine needle aspiration cytology was suggestive of malignancy in 76% of cases. Ninety-seven patients with papillary carcinoma received ablative dose of radioiodine with average dose of 100-200 mCi. One female patient with follicular carcinoma of thyroid with bone, lung, and brain metastases received 4 doses of radioiodine with total dose of 800 mCi. Mortality rate was (2.2%), one patient died of complication of invasive anaplastic carcinoma with invasion of the trachea.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a lot of controversy regarding thyroid malignancy investigations and management. We recommend that thyroid cancer patients should be treated by a team of endocrinologist, pathologist, experience thyroid surgeon, nuclear medicine and external radiotherapy physician to achieve an optimum care and good prognosis.
Qari
Faiza A
FA
Department of Medicine, King Abdul-Aziz University Hospital, PO Box 13042, Jeddah 21943, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. faiza-qari@yahoo.co.uk
D000328:Adult; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000473:pathology; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D013965:Thyroidectomy
D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes