Hashimoto thyroiditis coexistent with papillary thyroid carcinoma.
Several studies report a higher rate of papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTC) in patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT), indicating a possible correlation between the two diseases. We studied a group of 89 subjects undergoing surgery for thyroid carcinomas compared with a control group of 89 subjects operated on for normofunctioning goiter, and a second group of 47 patients undergoing total thyroidectomy for HT. Association with HT was found in 19 of the 71 PTC subjects (26.7%) and in 8 goiter patients (8.9%), which was a significant difference (P < 0.02). Thirteen of the HT patients, mostly with the nodular form, showed coexistent PTC (27.6%). HT and PTC coexisted in several morphological, immunohistochemical, and biomolecular aspects; increased incidence of PTC in HT patients might therefore indicate that HT is a precursor of thyroid cancer. Further studies are required, however, in order to confirm this hypothesis; until then, HT patients should undergo careful clinical and technical follow-up.
University of Palermo, Department of Oncology, Division of General and Oncological Surgery Policlinico "P. Giaccone" Palermo, Italy.
Calogero
C
Cipolla
Luigi
L
Sandonato
Giuseppa
G
Graceffa
Salvatore
S
Fricano
Adriana
A
Torcivia
Salvatore
S
Vieni
Stefania
S
Latteri
Mario Adelfio
MA
Latteri
D000231:Adenocarcinoma, Papillary / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D050031:Hashimoto Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D013965:Thyroidectomy