title: Classification of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma according to size and fine-needle aspiration cytology: Behavior and therapeutic implications.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to assess and classify cases of papillary microcarcinoma according to size (up to 0.5 cm and between 0.6 and 1.0 cm) and fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). These results were then correlated with clinical and histopathologic factors of worse prognosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 448 cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma were studied retrospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 448 patients, 173 presented with carcinomas of ≤0.5 cm and 275 patients presented with carcinomas sized between 0.6 and 1.0 cm (>0.5 cm). Lymph node metastasis was diagnosed in 6% of the carcinoma cases of ≤0.5 cm and in 16% of the cases with tumors of >0.5 cm. A total of 281 cases tested positive for papillary carcinoma by FNAC, and in 113 cases, the carcinoma was diagnosed during the histopathologic examination. A positive FNAC for carcinoma was correlated with a higher incidence of lymph node metastasis (16% vs 5%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The diagnosis of papillary carcinoma using the preoperative biopsy enables a more precise oncological procedure with greater chance of biological cure.
authors.affiliation: Head and Neck Surgery Service, Hospital Ipiranga, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Celso Ubirajara Moretto
authors.initials: CU
authors.lastname: Friguglietti
authors.forename: Simone Elisa
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Dutenhefner
authors.forename: Lenine Garcia
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Brandão
authors.forename: Marco Aurélio Vamondes
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kulcsar
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013954:Thyroglobulin / Q000097:blood; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D013965:Thyroidectomy
chemical_list: D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D013954:Thyroglobulin