title: Nonoperative management of low-risk differentiated thyroid carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The global incidence of small papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is increasing remarkably, mostly due to the increased use of imaging studies worldwide. The issue of how to manage low-risk small PTC has become urgent. In this review, we focus on how to treat low-risk papillary thyroid microcarcinomas (PMCs; i.e., PTCs measuring ≤10 mm).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Studies of large numbers of patients with low-risk PMC clarified that most of the PMCs did not grow or grew very slowly and were harmless. Active observations of these patients discriminated rare progressive cases from the majority. Surgery performed after the detection of progression signs was not too late, and surgery immediately after the detection and diagnosis of low-risk PMC may be overtreatment for most patients. Interestingly, low-risk PMCs in elderly patients were most unlikely to progress, in sharp contrast to clinical PTC. The reason for this phenomenon remains unknown.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Active observation without immediate surgery can be a leading alternative to the classical surgical treatment in the majority of the patients with low-risk PMC. It is not too late to perform surgery after the detection of progression signs for these patients.
  http://links.lww.com/COON/A10
authors.affiliation: aDepartment of Surgery bClinical Trial Management Center, Kuma Hospital, Center for Excellence in Thyroid Care, Kobe, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miyauchi
mesh_terms: D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D057832:Watchful Waiting