title: Clinical and pathological implications of concurrent autoimmune thyroid disorders and papillary thyroid cancer.
abstract: Cooccurrences of chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis (CLT) and thyroid cancer (DTC) have been repeatedly reported. Both CLT and DTC, mainly papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), share some epidemiological and molecular features. In fact, thyroid lymphocytic inflammatory reaction has been observed in association with PTC at variable frequency, although the precise relationship between the two diseases is still debated. It also remains a matter of debate whether the association with a CLT or even an autoimmune disorder could influence the prognosis of PTC. A better understanding about clinical implications of autoimmunity in concurrent thyroid cancer could raise new insights of thyroid cancer immunotherapy. In addition, elucidating the molecular mechanisms involved in autoimmune disease and concurrent cancer allowed us to identify new therapeutic strategies against thyroid cancer. The objective of this article was to review recent literature on the association of these disorders and its potential significance.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cancer Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (FCM-Unicamp), 126 Tessalia Vieira de Camargo St., Cidade Universitária, Barão Geraldo, Campinas, 13083-970 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Cunha
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Marcello
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vassallo
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Ward