Graves' disease, with and without nodules, and the risk of thyroid carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
Thyroid nodules are frequently present in Graves' disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of thyroid carcinoma in Graves' disease patients, with and without ultrasonographically identified nodules, who subsequently underwent surgical treatment.


METHODS
The study group included 150 consecutive patients with diagnosed Graves' disease who subsequently underwent surgery.


METHODS
The patients were divided into two groups according to whether the pre-operative ultrasound scan showed diffuse parenchyma (group one; n = 70) or nodules (group two; n = 80).


RESULTS
Of the 150 patients, 18 (12 per cent) were found to have papillary thyroid carcinoma. Papillary carcinoma was found in seven patients (10 per cent) in group one and in 11 patients (1.7 per cent) in group two. After evaluating the overall groups, the incidence of carcinoma in the parenchyma outside a nodule was 67 per cent, whereas the incidence of carcinoma in a nodule was 33 per cent.


CONCLUSIONS
Carcinoma can occur in Graves' disease patients without nodules, and the absence of nodules on ultrasonographic examination does not reduce the risk of malignancy.
Erbil
Y
Y
Department of General Surgery, Istanbul Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Turkey. yerbil2003@yahoo.com
Barbaros
U
U
Ozbey
N
N
Kapran
Y
Y
Tükenmez
M
M
Bozbora
A
A
Ozarmağan
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography