title: Approach to lymph node metastases in sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma An istitutional experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Analyse the impact of aggressive surgical treatment with accurate lymphadenectomy in medullary thyroid carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analysed 152 patients affected by medullary thyroid carcinoma, divided in two groups, considering outcome and surgical complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Primary surgical treatment with thyroidectomy plus central and lateral neck dissection, offers significant reduction in post-operative calcitonin levels, reduced recurrences and limited complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Accurate lymphadenectomy, according to the international guidelines and the main results of clinical studies, is the only treatment combined to total thyroidectomy which offers improved outcome in medullary thyroid carcinoma since inefficacy of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surgery is the unique and fundamental therapy for patients affected by medullary thyroid carcinoma. Extended neck dissection combined to precocious diagnosis and strict follow-up might be considered the standard of treatment of medullary thyroid carcinoma.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Complications, Lymphadenectomy, Medullary carcinoma, Prognosis.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Polistena
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Monacelli
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lucchini
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Triola
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Avenia
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Barillaro
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sanguinetti
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Avenia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood; D018276:Carcinoma, Medullary / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D037981:Neck Dissection; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002116:Calcitonin