title: [Thyroid microcarcinoma in benign thyroid diseases].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Thyroid microcarcinoma is a malignant thyroid tumor with potential multifocality and a maximum of 1 cm of diameter. This carcinoma has been discovered more frequently like incidentaloma.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To appraise the incidence of MCT in the benign thyroid diseases and the advantages offered from the total thyroidectomy, performed for benign diffused thyroid diseases, which surgical treatment "therapeutic" performed for these malignant tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted on 600 patients operated with total thyroidectomy for benign thyroid disease, admitted from 1999 to 2003.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients were alive and free of disease at last control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The MCT is a carcinoma that presents frequently a behavior little malignant and a good prognosis. His principal characteristic is the absence of clinical demonstrations. Therefore his discovery, almost always accidental on a thyroid removed for other pathology, it has signaled by histologic study
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thyroid microcarcinoma is a slow growing tumor, with a good prognosis and with a good disease-free survival. It can present a better aggressiveness for his multifocal localization and invasion. Therefore total thyroidectomy can be considered best treatment and also be surgical treatment oncologically correct for this tumor.
authors.affiliation: Università degli Studi di Catania, P.O.U. "San Luigi e San Currò" Catania, Cattedra e Servizio Clinicizzato di Endocrinochirurgia. pe.costanzo@tiscali.it
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Costanzo
authors.forename: Laura Antonella Maria
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Caruso
authors.forename: Davide Carmelo
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Messina
authors.forename: Annunziata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cavallaro
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palumbo
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marziani
authors.forename: Matteo Angelo
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Cannizzaro
mesh_terms: D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D018265:Carcinoma, Papillary, Follicular / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000473:pathology; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013965:Thyroidectomy; D016896:Treatment Outcome