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6: Thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer
Author(s) -
Mackenzie Emily J,
Mortimer Robin H
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2004.tb05894.x
Subject(s) - medicine , thyroid nodules , thyroid , thyroid cancer , biopsy , papillary thyroid cancer , follicular phase , hormone , cancer , thyroidectomy , radiology , pathology
Thyroid nodules are common clinically (prevalence, about 5%) and even more common on ultrasound examination (about 25%). About 5% of thyroid nodules are malignant. Most thyroid cancers are well‐differentiated papillary or follicular tumours with an excellent prognosis (10‐year survival, 80%–95%). The incidence of papillary thyroid cancer appears to be increasing on the east coast of Australia. Fine‐needle aspiration biopsy of the thyroid is the most cost‐effective diagnostic tool. Recommended initial management of all follicular carcinomas and of papillary carcinomas > 1.0 cm is total thyroidectomy followed by radioiodine ablation. Most patients should be managed postoperatively with doses of thyroid hormone sufficient to suppress plasma levels of thyroid‐stimulating hormone. Recurrences can occur many years after initial therapy, and follow‐up should be lifelong.