title: Papillary thyroid cancer in childhood: is parental screening helpful?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Familial non-medullary thyroid cancer (FNMTC) mandates family screening with ultrasound; however, the need for screening paediatric thyroid cancer with no family history has not been addressed.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study conducted a retrospective cohort study in a tertiary hospital. The study group is composed of patients ≤18 years undergoing surgery for papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) from 2008 to 2014.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the study period, 15 paediatric patients had PTC. Only one patient had a prior family history of PTC involving two second-degree relatives. Of the 30 parents, four were lost to follow-up, with the remaining 26 undergoing screening thyroid ultrasound. Nodular thyroid disease was documented in eight ultrasounds performed. Subsequently, one has not undergone fine-needle biopsy, five were benign and two underwent surgical resection: one having a benign follicular adenoma and the other a papillary microcarcinoma with nodal micrometastasis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Routine ultrasound screening of parents of children presenting with PTC and no family history do not demonstrate an increased incidence of FNMTC. Screening of affected families is likely to demonstrate the expected background incidence of nodular thyroid disease and incidental papillary microcarcinoma. As such, it is unlikely to be useful.
authors.affiliation: Endocrine Surgical Unit, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stephenson
authors.affiliation: Endocrine Surgical Unit, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Olov
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Norlen
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shun
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.|Division of Child and Adolescent Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Jonathon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Karpelowsky
authors.affiliation: Cancer Genetics Unit, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.affiliation: Endocrine Surgical Unit, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Leigh
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Delbridge
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D018276:Carcinoma, Medullary / Q000151:congenital* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000235:genetics*; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018813:Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 2a / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010290:Parents; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000077273:Thyroid Cancer, Papillary; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000235:genetics*; D014463:Ultrasonography
keywords: familial non-medullary thyroid cancer; family screening; paediatric; papillary thyroid cancer; ultrasound