Incidence of cancer in nodular goitres.
BACKGROUND
Nodular goitres occur commonly in the population and this paper aims to determine the incidence of thyroid cancer found in these goitres.


METHODS
This is a retrospective, consecutive analysis of the histology of 268 nodular goitres that had been operated on, from 2002 to 2004, in a single tertiary hospital in Singapore.


RESULTS
Fifty-seven goitres (21.2%) with multiple nodules were found to contain a malignancy. Forty-four thyroid cancers (77%) were of the papillary type. The mean age of presentation for benign nodular goitres was 47.9 years. The mean age of presentation for malignant thyroid tumours was 49.25 years.


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of cancer is significant in nodular goitres and these malignant tumours are usually of the papillary type.
Pang
Hee-Nee
HN
Department of General Surgery, Changi General Hospital, Singapore.
Chen
Chung-Ming
CM
D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D005260:Female; D006044:Goiter, Nodular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010338:Pathology, Clinical; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D014463:Ultrasonography