eMedicine Specialties > Oncology > Carcinomas of Endocrine Organs

Thyroid, Follicular Carcinoma: Follow-up

Author: Luigi Santacroce, MD, Assistant Professor, Medical School, State University at Bari, Italy
Coauthor(s): Silvia Gagliardi, MD, Consulting Staff, Department of Surgery, Medical Center Vita, Italy; Lodovico Balducci, MD, Professor of Oncology and Medicine, University of South Florida College of Medicine; Division Chief, Senior Adult Oncology Program, H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Sep 25, 2009

Follow-up

Further Inpatient Care

  • In patients with FTC, systematic psychotherapeutic intervention may be very helpful.

Further Outpatient Care

  • Postoperative therapy and follow-up
    • Perform postoperative scintiscan of the neck after 4-6 weeks without thyroid hormone replacement. At this time, a scan of the neck demonstrates whether thyroid tissue is still present. If thyroid tissue is present, a dose of radioactive iodine is administered to destroy residual tissue. The patient is then placed on lifelong thyroid replacement with L-T4. Repeat the scintiscan 6-12 months after ablation and, thereafter, every 2 years. Prior to the scan, L-T4 must be withdrawn for approximately 4-6 weeks to maximize thyrotropin stimulation of any remaining thyroid tissue.
    • Radioactive iodine may ablate the metastatic tissue in the lungs and bone. In fact, metastases of FTC appear to be more amenable to radioiodine therapy than metastases of papillary carcinoma.
    • For a single CNS metastasis, consider neurosurgical resection and radioiodine treatment, perhaps associated with rhTSH and steroids, and/or radiation therapy.
    • Evaluate thyroglobulin serum levels every 6-12 months for at least 5 years. Consider a level higher than 20 ng/mL, after TSH suppression, to be abnormal. A recurrence of thyroid cancer can be detected if a rise in the thyroglobulin level is found on monitoring. All patients who have undergone total thyroidectomy and those who have had radioactive ablation of any remaining thyroid tissue should be treated with thyroid hormone suppression. Individualize the degree of suppression to avoid complications such as subclinical hyperthyroidism.
    • A patient who has had a thyroidectomy without parathyroid preservation will require vitamin D and calcium for the rest of his or her life.

More specific treatment information for FTC can be found at the National Comprehensive Cancer Network website, in the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology section.

Deterrence/Prevention

No effective preventive therapy is known.

Complications

  • If it is neglected, FTC may produce symptoms due to the compression and/or infiltration of the surrounding tissues, and it may metastasize to lung and bone.
  • Surgical treatment of FTC may cause complications, partially because of the variable anatomy of the neck. Possible complications include the following:
  • Radioiodine administration may have the following consequences:
    • Radiation thyroiditis and transient thyrotoxicosis in patients who have undergone simple lobectomy
    • Sialoadenitis, because radioiodine is taken up by the salivary glands
    • Nausea, anorexia, and headache (uncommon)
    • Pulmonary fibrosis in patients with large lung metastases
    • Brain edema in patients with brain metastases (this may be prevented by glucocorticoid treatment)
    • Permanent sterility and transient oligospermia or menstrual irregularities
    • Teratogenesis and spontaneous abortions
    • A slight increase in the risk of leukemias or breast and bladder carcinomas.
  • The most frequent sites of metastasis are lung and bone, followed by the brain and the liver; metastasis to other sites occurs less frequently. Metastatic potential seems to be a function of primary tumor size; however, metastases without thyroid pathology identified on physical examination may be found in patients with microscopic FTC.

Prognosis

FTC prognosis is related to age, sex, and staging. In general, if cancer is not extending beyond the capsule of the gland, life expectancy is affected minimally. Prognosis is better in female patients and in patients younger than 40 years. Survival rate is at least 95% with appropriate treatments.

Patient Education

  • Patients who discover a neck deformity or thyroid lumps or have a history of prior exposure to ionizing radiations must consult their physician.
  • For excellent patient education resources, visit eMedicine's Endocrine System Center. Also, see eMedicine's patient education article Thyroid Problems.

Miscellaneous

Medicolegal Pitfalls

The main medical and legal problems related to FTC concern vocal cord paralysis due to damage of the recurrent laryngeal nerve, damage of the parathyroid glands that leads to temporary or permanent hypoparathyroidism, and toxic side effects of radioiodine administration. For this reason, always obtain an informed consent to diagnostic procedures and treatment that explains all the procedures and their possible complications.

Special Concerns

Because radioiodine treatment may cause teratogenesis or spontaneous abortions, patients should delay pregnancy for at least one year after radioiodine treatment.

Limited evidence indicates that postsurgical radioiodine administration provides clear benefits in patients who have undergone complete thyroidectomy and adequate lymph node dissection. Strong evidence exists that it is useful in patients younger than 16 years and in those with severe histology.

Although very rare, some cases of malignant transformation of ectopic lingual thyroid tissue have been reported, and only 3 cases of a follicular variant of lingual thyroid tumor have been reported.16

 


More on Thyroid, Follicular Carcinoma

Overview: Thyroid, Follicular Carcinoma
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Thyroid, Follicular Carcinoma
Treatment & Medication: Thyroid, Follicular Carcinoma
Follow-up: Thyroid, Follicular Carcinoma
Multimedia: Thyroid, Follicular Carcinoma
References
Further Reading
[ CLOSE WINDOW ]

References

  1. Asari R, Koperek O, Scheuba C, Riss P, Kaserer K, Hoffmann M, et al. Follicular thyroid carcinoma in an iodine-replete endemic goiter region: a prospectively collected, retrospectively analyzed clinical trial. Ann Surg. Jun 2009;249(6):1023-31. [Medline].

  2. Johnson TL, Lloyd RV, Thor A. Expression of ras oncogene p21 antigen in normal and proliferative thyroidtissues. Am J Pathol. Apr 1987;127(1):60-5. [Medline].

  3. Wright PA, Lemoine NR, Mayall ES, et al. Papillary and follicular thyroid carcinomas show a different pattern of ras oncogene mutation. Br J Cancer. Oct 1989;60(4):576-7. [Medline].

  4. Karga H, Lee JK, Vickery AL Jr, Thor A, Gaz RD, Jameson JL. Ras oncogene mutations in benign and malignant thyroid neoplasms. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. Oct 1991;73(4):832-6. [Medline].

  5. Bos JL. ras oncogenes in human cancer: a review. Cancer Res. Sep 1989;49(17):4682-9. [Medline].

  6. McCabe CJ. Moving towards the use of targeted therapies in thyroid cancer. Nat Clin Pract Endocrinol Metab. Nov 2008;4(11):604-5. [Medline].

  7. Renehan AG, Tyson M, Egger M, Heller RF, Zwahlen M. Body-mass index and incidence of cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective observational studies. Lancet. Feb 16 2008;371(9612):569-78. [Medline].

  8. Handkiewcz-Junak D, Banasik T, Kolosza Z, Roskosz J, Kukulska A, Puch Z. Risk of malignant tumors in first-degree relatives of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer -- a hospital based study. Neoplasma. 2006;53(1):67-72. [Medline].

  9. Williams ED, Abrosimov A, Bogdanova T, et al. Thyroid carcinoma after Chernobyl latent period, morphology and aggressiveness. Br J Cancer. Jun 1 2004;90(11):2219-24. [Medline].

  10. Zengi A, Karadeniz M, Erdogan M, et al. Does chernobyl accident have any effect on thyroid cancers in Turkey? Aretrospective review of thyroid cancers from 1982 to 2006. Endocr J. May 2008;55(2):325-30. [Medline].

  11. Ito Y, Uramoto H, Funa K, Yoshida H, Jikuzono T, Asahi S. Delta Np73 expression in thyroid neoplasms originating from follicular cells. Pathology. Jun 2006;38(3):205-9. [Medline].

  12. Miyakawa M, Onoda N, Etoh M, et al. Diagnosis of thyroid follicular carcinoma by the vascular pattern and velocimetric parameters using high resolution pulsed and power Doppler ultrasonography. Endocr J. Apr 2005;52(2):207-12. [Medline].

  13. Palmedo H, Bucerius J, Joe A, Strunk H, Hortling N, Meyka S. Integrated PET/CT in differentiated thyroid cancer: diagnostic accuracy and impact on patient management. J Nucl Med. Apr 2006;47(4):616-24. [Medline].

  14. Meadows KM, Amdur RJ, Morris CG, Villaret DB, Mazzaferri EL, Mendenhall WM. External beam radiotherapy for differentiated thyroid cancer. Am J Otolaryngol. Jan-Feb 2006;27(1):24-8. [Medline].

  15. Huang SC, Wu VC, Lin SY, Sheu WH, Song YM, Lin YH, et al. Factors related to clinical hypothyroid severity in thyroid cancer patients after thyroid hormone withdrawal. Thyroid. Jan 2009;19(1):13-20. [Medline].

  16. Hari CK, Kumar M, Abo-Khatwa MM, Adams-Williams J, Zeitoun H. Follicular variant of papillary carcinoma arising from lingual thyroid. Ear Nose Throat J. Jun 2009;88(6):[Medline].

  17. Ain KB, Lee C, Williams KD. Phase II trial of thalidomide for therapy of radioiodine-unresponsive and rapidly progressive thyroid carcinomas. Thyroid. Jul 2007;17(7):663-70. [Medline].

  18. Arnaldi LA, Borra RC, Maciel RM, Cerutti JM. Gene expression profiles reveal that DCN, DIO1, and DIO2 are underexpressed in benign and malignant thyroid tumors. Thyroid. Mar 2005;15(3):210-21. [Medline].

  19. Asa SL. My approach to oncocytic tumours of the thyroid. J Clin Pathol. Mar 2004;57(3):225-32. [Medline]. [Full Text].

  20. Baloch ZW, LiVolsi VA. Fine-needle aspiration of thyroid nodules: past, present, and future. Endocr Pract. May-Jun 2004;10(3):234-41. [Medline].

  21. Baloch ZW, LiVolsi VA. Fine-needle aspiration of the thyroid: today andtomorrow. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab. Dec 2008;22(6):929-39. [Medline].

  22. Busaidy NL, Habra MA, Vassilopoulou-Sellin R. Endocrine Malignancies. In: Kantarjian HM, Wolff RA, and Koller CA eds. The MD Anderson Manual of Medical Oncology. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Medical Publishing Division; 2006:31: 819-854.

  23. Cameselle-Teijeiro J, Pardal F, Eloy C, Ruiz-Ponte C, Celestino R, Castro P, et al. Follicular thyroid carcinoma with an unusual glomeruloid pattern of growth. Hum Pathol. Oct 2008;39(10):1540-7. [Medline].

  24. Castro P, Eknaes M, Teixeira MR, et al. Adenomas and follicular carcinomas of the thyroid display two major patterns of chromosomal changes. J Pathol. Jul 2005;206(3):305-11. [Medline].

  25. Chao TC, Lin JD, Chen MF. Surgical treatment of thyroid cancers with concurrent graves disease. Ann Surg Oncol. Apr 2004;11(4):407-12. [Medline].

  26. Clark JR, Lai P, Hall F, et al. Variables predicting distant metastases in thyroid cancer. Laryngoscope. Apr 2005;115(4):661-7. [Medline].

  27. Cooper DS, Doherty GM, Haugen BR, Kloos RT, Lee SL, Mandel SJ. Management guidelines for patients with thyroid nodules and differentiated thyroid cancer. Thyroid. Feb 2006;16(2):109-42. [Medline].

  28. D'Avanzo A, Treseler P, Ituarte PH, et al. Follicular thyroid carcinoma: histology and prognosis. Cancer. Mar 15 2004;100(6):1123-9. [Medline].

  29. Davies L, Welch HG. Increasing incidence of thyroid cancer in the United States, 1973-2002. JAMA. May 10 2006;295(18):2164-7. [Medline].

  30. DeGroot LJ, Kaplan EL, Shukla MS, Salti G, Straus FH. Morbidity and mortality in follicular thyroid cancer. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. Oct 1995;80(10):2946-53. [Medline].

  31. Di Cristofaro J, Marcy M, Vasko V, Sebag F, Fakhry N, Wynford-Thomas D. Molecular genetic study comparing follicular variant versus classic papillary thyroid carcinomas: association of N-ras mutation in codon 61 with follicular variant. Hum Pathol. Jul 2006;37(7):824-30. [Medline].

  32. Durante C, Haddy N, Baudin E, Leboulleux S, Hartl D, Travagli JP. Long-term outcome of 444 patients with distant metastases from papillary and follicular thyroid carcinoma: benefits and limits of radioiodine therapy. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. Aug 2006;91(8):2892-9. [Medline].

  33. Eszlinger M, Krohn K, Kukulska A, et al. Perspectives and limitations of microarray-based gene expression profiling of thyroid tumors. Endocr Rev. 2007;28(3):322-38. [Medline].

  34. Faquin WC. The thyroid gland: recurring problems in histologic and cytologic evaluation. Arch Pathol Lab Med. Apr 2008;132(4):622-32. [Medline].

  35. Farahati J, Geling M, Mader U, et al. Changing trends of incidence and prognosis of thyroid carcinoma in lower Franconia, Germany, from 1981-1995. Thyroid. Feb 2004;14(2):141-7. [Medline].

  36. Farid NR, Zou M, Shi Y. Genetics of follicular thyroid cancer. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. Dec 1995;24(4):865-83. [Medline].

  37. Fernandes JK, Day TA, Richardson MS, Sharma AK. Overview of the management of differentiated thyroid cancer. Curr Treat Options Oncol. Jan 2005;6(1):47-57. [Medline].

  38. Fraker DL, Skarulis M, Livolsi V. Thyroid tumors. In: DeVita VT Jr, et al, eds. Cancer, Principles and Practice of Oncology. 5th ed. Philadelphia:. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins;1997:1629-1652.

  39. Fryknäs M, Wickenberg-Bolin U, Göransson H, Gustafsson MG, Foukakis T, Lee JJ. Molecular markers for discrimination of benign and malignant follicular thyroid tumors. Tumour Biol. 2006;27(4):211-20. [Medline].

  40. Giorgadze TA, Baloch ZW, Pasha T, Zhang PJ, Livolsi VA. Lymphatic and blood vessel density in the follicular patterned lesions of thyroid. Mod Pathol. Nov 2005;18(11):1424-31. [Medline].

  41. Gosnell JE, Sackett WR, Sidhu S, et al. Minimal access thyroid surgery: technique and report of the first 25 cases. ANZ J Surg. May 2004;74(5):330-4. [Medline].

  42. Grebe SK, Hay ID. Thyroid cancer nodal metastases: biologic significance and therapeutic considerations. Surg Oncol Clin N Am. 1996;5(1):43-63. [Medline].

  43. Gyory F, Balazs G, Nagy EV. Differentiated thyroid cancer and outcome in iodine deficiency. Eur J Surg Oncol. Apr 2004;30(3):325-31. [Medline].

  44. Hall P, Adami HO. Thyroid Cancer. In: Adami HO, Hunter D, Trichopoulos D. eds. Textbook of Cancer Epidemiology. 2nd edition. Oxford University Press; 2008:504-519.

  45. Ilias I, Alevizaki M, Lakka-Papadodima E, Koutras DA. Differentiated thyroid cancer in Greece: 1963-2000. Relation to demographic andenvironmental factors. Hormones. Jul-Sep 2002;1(3):174-8. [Medline].

  46. Jukkola A, Bloigu R, Ebeling T, et al. Prognostic factors in differentiated thyroid carcinomas and their implications for current staging classifications. Endocr Relat Cancer. Sep 2004;11(3):571-9. [Medline]. [Full Text].

  47. Kaya H, Barbaros U, Erbil Y, Bozbora A, Kapran Y, Aral F, et al. Metastatic thyroid carcinoma. N Z Med J. Oct 28 2005;118(1224):U1705. [Medline].

  48. Kebebew E, Clark OH. Differentiated thyroid cancer: "complete" rational approach. World J Surg. Aug 2000;24(8):942-51. [Medline].

  49. Koh KB, Chang KW. Carcinoma in multinodular goitre. Br J Surg. Mar 1992;79(3):266-7. [Medline].

  50. Kondo T, Ezzat S, Asa SL. Pathogenetic mechanisms in thyroid follicular-cell neoplasia. Nat Rev Cancer. Apr 2006;6(4):292-306. [Medline].

  51. Kuijt WJ, Huang SA. Children with differentiated thyroid cancer achieve adequate hyperthyrotropinemia within 14 days of levothyroxine withdrawal. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. Nov 2005;90(11):6123-5. [Medline].

  52. Kushwaha RA, Verma SK, Mahajan SV. Endobronchial metastasis of follicular thyroid carcinoma presenting as hemoptysis: a case report. J Cancer Res Ther. 2008;(1):44-5. [Medline].

  53. Lang BH, Lo CY, Chan WF, Lam KY, Wan KY. Staging systems for follicular thyroid carcinoma: application to 171 consecutive patients treated in a tertiary referral centre. Endocr Relat Cancer. Mar 2007;14(1):29-42. [Medline].

  54. Lerma E, Mora J. Telomerase activity in "suspicious" thyroid cytology. Cancer. Dec 25 2005;105(6):492-7. [Medline].

  55. Lin JD, Chao TC. Follicular thyroid carcinoma: From diagnosis to treatment. Endocr J. Aug 2006;53(4):441-8. [Medline].

  56. Loh KC, Greenspan FS, Gee L, et al. Pathological tumor-node-metastasis (pTNM) staging for papillary and follicular thyroid carcinomas: a retrospective analysis of 700 patients. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. Nov 1997;82(11):3553-62. [Medline].

  57. Mazzaferri EL, Robbins RJ, Spencer CA, et al. A consensus report of the role of serum thyroglobulin as a monitoring method for low-risk patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. Apr 2003;88(4):1433-41. [Medline].

  58. Merck Manual. The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy. Thyroid Cancers. Available at: www.merck.com/pubs/mmanual/section2/chapter8/8g.htm. [Full Text].

  59. Motesanib diphosphate in progressive differentiated thyroid cancer. Sherman SI, Wirth LJ, Droz JP, et al. N Engl J Med. 2008;359(1):31-42. [Medline].

  60. Muresan MM, Olivier P, Leclère J, et al. Bone metastases from differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Endocr Relat Cancer. Mar 2008;15(1):37-49. [Medline].

  61. NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology. National Comprehensive Cancer Network website. Available at http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/PDF/thyroid.pdf. Accessed 06/01/2008.

  62. Ogawa Y, Sugawara T, Seki H, Sakuma T. Thyroid follicular carcinoma metastasized to the lung, skull, and brain 12 years after initial treatment for thyroid gland--case report. Neurol Med Chir (Tokyo). Jun 2006;46(6):302-5. [Medline].

  63. Pacini F, Schlumberger M, Harmer C, Berg GG, Cohen O, Duntas L. Post-surgical use of radioiodine (131I) in patients with papillary and follicular thyroid cancer and the issue of remnant ablation: a consensus report. Eur J Endocrinol. Nov 2005;153(5):651-9. [Medline].

  64. Reiners C, Farahati J. 131I therapy of thyroid cancer patients. Q J Nucl Med. Dec 1999;43(4):324-35. [Medline].

  65. Riesco-Eizaguirre G, Santisteban P. New insights in thyroid follicular cell biology and its impact in thyroid cancer therapy. Endocr Relat Cancer. Dec 2007;14(4):957-77. [Medline].

  66. Robbins RJ, Wan Q, Grewal RK, Reibke R, Gonen M, Strauss HW, et al. Real-time prognosis for metastatic thyroid carcinoma based on 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose-positron emission tomography scanning. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. Feb 2006;91(2):498-505. [Medline].

  67. Ronckers CM, McCarron P, Engels EA, Ron E. New Malignancies Following Cancer of the Thyroid and Other Endocrine Glands. In: Curtis RE, Freedman DM, Ron E, Ries LAG, Hacker DG, Edwards BK, Tucker MA, Fraumeni JF Jr. New Malignancies Among Cancer Survivors: SEER Cancer Registries, 1973-2000. Bethesda, MD: NIH Publ. No. 05-5302; 2006:375-395. [Full Text].

  68. Ruschenburg I, Vollheim B, Stachura J, Cordon-Cardo C, Korabiowska M. Analysis of DNA mismatch repair gene expression and mutations in thyroid tumours. Anticancer Res. May-Jun 2006;26(3A):2107-12. [Medline].

  69. Sarquis MS, Weber F, Shen L, et al. High frequency of loss of heterozygosity in imprinted, compared with nonimprinted, genomic regions in follicular thyroid carcinomas and atypical adenomas. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2006;91:262–9. [Medline]. [Full Text].

  70. Savin S, Cvejic D, Isic T, Paunovic I, Tatic S, Havelka M. The efficacy of the thyroid peroxidase marker for distinguishing follicular thyroid carcinoma from follicular adenoma. Exp Oncol. Mar 2006;28(1):70-4. [Medline].

  71. Schlumberger MJ. Papillary and follicular thyroid carcinoma. N Engl J Med. Jan 29 1998;338(5):297-306. [Medline].

  72. Schmitt TS, Elte JW, Rietveld AP, van Zaanen HC, Castro Cabezas M. Bone metastasis of a follicular thyroid carcinoma originated in a toxic multinodular goiter. Eur J Intern Med. Nov 2008;19(7):e64-6. [Medline].

  73. Shaha AR, Shah JP, Loree TR. Differentiated thyroid cancer presenting initially with distant metastasis. Am J Surg. Nov 1997;174(5):474-6. [Medline].

  74. Sherman SI, Wirth LJ, Droz JP, Hofmann M, Bastholt L, Martins RG, et al. Motesanib diphosphate in progressive differentiated thyroid cancer. N Engl J Med. Jul 3 2008;359(1):31-42. [Medline].

  75. Short SC, Suovuori A, Cook G, et al. A phase II study using retinoids as redifferentiation agents to increase iodine uptake in metastatic thyroid cancer. Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol). Dec 2004;16(8):569-74. [Medline].

  76. Siassakos D, Gourgiotis S, Moustafellos P, et al. Thyroid microcarcinoma during thyroidectomy. Singapore Med J. Jan 2008;49(1):23-5. [Medline].

  77. Simpson WJ, McKinney SE, Carruthers JS, et al. Papillary and follicular thyroid cancer. Prognostic factors in 1,578 patients. Am J Med. Sep 1987;83(3):479-88. [Medline].

  78. Singer PA, Cooper DS, Daniels GH, et al. Treatment guidelines for patients with thyroid nodules and well-differentiated thyroid cancer. American Thyroid Association. Arch Intern Med. Oct 28 1996;156(19):2165-72. [Medline].

  79. Suster S. Thyroid tumors with a follicular growth pattern: problems in differential diagnosis. Arch Pathol Lab Med. Jul 2006;130(7):984-8. [Medline].

  80. Taylor T, Specker B, Robbins J, et al. Outcome after treatment of high-risk papillary and non-Hurthle-cell follicular thyroid carcinoma. Ann Intern Med. Oct 15 1998;129(8):622-7. [Medline].

  81. Ulger Z, Karaman N, Piskinpasa SV, Niksarlioglu YO, Kilickap S, Erman M. Endobronchial metastasis of thyroid follicular carcinoma. J Natl Med Assoc. May 2006;98(5):803-6. [Medline].

  82. Vasko VV, Gaudart J, Allasia C, et al. Thyroid follicular adenomas may display features of follicular carcinoma and follicular variant of papillary carcinoma. Eur J Endocrinol. Dec 2004;151(6):779-86. [Medline].

  83. Wanebo HJ, Andrews W, Kaiser DL. Thyroid cancer: some basic considerations. CA Cancer J Clin. Mar-Apr 1983;33(2):87-97. [Medline]. [Full Text].

  84. Wang HH. Reporting thyroid fine-needle aspiration: literature review and a proposal. Diagn Cytopathol. Jan 2006;34(1):67-76. [Medline].

  85. Wang TS, Roman SA, Sosa JA. Management of follicular tumors of the thyroid. Minerva Chir. Oct 2007;62(5):373-82. [Medline].

  86. Wasenius VM, Hemmer S, Karjalainen-Lindsberg ML, et al. MET receptor tyrosine kinase sequence alterations in differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Am J Surg Pathol. Apr 2005;29(4):544-9. [Medline].

  87. Weber T, Schilling T, Büchler MW. Thyroid carcinoma. Curr Opin Oncol. Jan 2006;18(1):30-5. [Medline].

  88. Yuksel O, Kurukahvecioglu O, Ege B, et al. The relation between pure papillary and follicular variant in papillary thyroid carcinoma. Endocr Regul. Mar 2008;42(1):29-33. [Medline].

[ CLOSE WINDOW ]

Further Reading

The progress of the knowledge in molecular bases of thyroid cancers offers new therapeutic targets for FTC treatment and, in the future, prevention. A recent, interesting paper on this subject is Molecular genetics of thyroid cancer: implications for diagnosis, treatment and prognosis from MN Nikiforova and YE Nikiforov (Expert Review of Molecular Diagnostics, January 2008, Vol. 8, No. 1, Pages 83-95).

[ CLOSE WINDOW ]

Keywords

follicular thyroid carcinoma, FTC, thyroid cancer, thyroid cancer treatment, thyroid cancer medications, thyroid cancer diagnosis, thyroid cancer symptoms, thyroid cancer pictures, Hürthle cell carcinoma, Hurthle cell carcinoma, papillary carcinoma, tumor

[ CLOSE WINDOW ]

Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Luigi Santacroce, MD, Assistant Professor, Medical School, State University at Bari, Italy
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Silvia Gagliardi, MD, Consulting Staff, Department of Surgery, Medical Center Vita, Italy
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Lodovico Balducci, MD, Professor of Oncology and Medicine, University of South Florida College of Medicine; Division Chief, Senior Adult Oncology Program, H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Philip Schulman, MD, Chief, Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; Clinical Professor, Department of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine
Philip Schulman, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for Cancer Research, American College of Physicians, American Society of Hematology, and Medical Society of the State of New York
Disclosure: celgene Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Amgen Honoraria Speaking and teaching; genetech/idec Honoraria Speaking and teaching

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

Managing Editor

Benjamin Movsas, MD, Vice-Chairman, Department of Radiation Oncology, Fox Chase Cancer Center
Benjamin Movsas, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Radiology, American Radium Society, and American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Rajalaxmi McKenna, MD, FACP, Southwest Medical Consultants, SC, Department of Medicine, Good Samaritan Hospital, Advocate Health Systems
Rajalaxmi McKenna, MD, FACP is a member of the following medical societies: American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Society of Hematology, and International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Jules E Harris, MD, Clinical Professor of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Arizona College of Medicine at Tucson; Consulting Staff, Arizona Cancer Center
Jules E Harris, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for Cancer Research, American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Association of Immunologists, American Society of Hematology, and Central Society for Clinical Research
Disclosure: GlobeImmune Salary Consulting; Amplimed Consulting fee Consulting; FibroGen Consulting fee Consulting

 
 
HONcode

We subscribe to the
HONcode principles of the
Health On the Net Foundation

All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright© 1994- by Medscape.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.

DISCLAIMER: The content of this Website is not influenced by sponsors. The site is designed primarily for use by qualified physicians and other medical professionals. The information contained herein should NOT be used as a substitute for the advice of an appropriately qualified and licensed physician or other health care provider. The information provided here is for educational and informational purposes only. In no way should it be considered as offering medical advice. Please check with a physician if you suspect you are ill.