Nodal metastasis in well-differentiated follicular carcinoma of the thyroid: Its incidence and clinical significance

  • Authors:
    • Mitsuyoshi Hirokawa
    • Yasuhiro Ito
    • Seiji Kuma
    • Yuuki Takamura
    • Akihiro Miya
    • Kaoru Kobayashi
    • Akira Miyauchi
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: September 1, 2010     https://doi.org/10.3892/ol_00000154
  • Pages: 873-876
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Abstract

The clinical significance of nodal metastasis in well-differentiated follicular carcinoma (WD-FC) of the thyroid remains a controversial issue. This study aimed to clarify clinical and pathological characteristics of WD-FC with nodal metastasis, based on the new WHO classification. We examined 249 WD-FC cases diagnosed between 1983 and 2004 in our hospital. Poorly differentiated follicular carcinoma was not included in this study. Of the 249 WD-FC cases, 9 (3.6%) revealed nodal metastasis. The incidences of nodal metastasis in minimally invasive and widely invasive cases were 2.0 and 9.8%, respectively. In four patients, nodal metastasis was detected in the ipsilateral lymph nodes during the initial surgery. A total of 6 patients presented with nodal metastasis 2-10 years after the initial operation, and 3 patients with bilateral and large nodal metastases were relatively young. No patients succumbed to the carcinoma. Primary lesions of WD-FC with nodal metastasis were microscopically conventional, and there were no findings predicting nodal metastasis. We hypothesized that the incidence of nodal metastasis in WD-FC, based on the new WHO classification, was lower compared with previous reports. Younger individuals may be at a higher risk of large bilateral nodal metastasis. The presence of nodal metastasis did not affect the long-term outcome of follicular carcinoma.
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September-October 2010
Volume 1 Issue 5

Print ISSN: 1792-1074
Online ISSN:1792-1082

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Spandidos Publications style
Hirokawa M, Ito Y, Kuma S, Takamura Y, Miya A, Kobayashi K and Miyauchi A: Nodal metastasis in well-differentiated follicular carcinoma of the thyroid: Its incidence and clinical significance . Oncol Lett 1: 873-876, 2010.
APA
Hirokawa, M., Ito, Y., Kuma, S., Takamura, Y., Miya, A., Kobayashi, K., & Miyauchi, A. (2010). Nodal metastasis in well-differentiated follicular carcinoma of the thyroid: Its incidence and clinical significance . Oncology Letters, 1, 873-876. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol_00000154
MLA
Hirokawa, M., Ito, Y., Kuma, S., Takamura, Y., Miya, A., Kobayashi, K., Miyauchi, A."Nodal metastasis in well-differentiated follicular carcinoma of the thyroid: Its incidence and clinical significance ". Oncology Letters 1.5 (2010): 873-876.
Chicago
Hirokawa, M., Ito, Y., Kuma, S., Takamura, Y., Miya, A., Kobayashi, K., Miyauchi, A."Nodal metastasis in well-differentiated follicular carcinoma of the thyroid: Its incidence and clinical significance ". Oncology Letters 1, no. 5 (2010): 873-876. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol_00000154