[Hashimoto thyroiditis. Possible cause or consequence of a malignant thyroid tumor]

The Authors performed a retrospective study on their case records in order to analyze the epidemiological aspects of association between Hashimoto thyroiditis and differentiated thyroid carcinoma.

From January 2004 to December 2005 the Authors performed 282 total thyroidectomy for any thyroid pathology. All patients were studied preoperatively even dosing antithyroid antibodies. In the study are included patients who presented histological finding of both Hashimoto thyroiditis and carcinoma.

Eleven patients (23.9%) of 46 patients operated on for differentiated thyroid carcinoma also presented histological finding of thyroiditis. Association of thyroiditis and carcinoma was present in 39.2% of histologically detecied thyroiditis (28 patiems).

Pathophysiological relationship between Hashimoto thyroiditis and DTC are still unclear, although a certain association of theese two anatomo-clinic entity has been demonstrated. We can't yet say if Hashimoto thyroiditis advance and facilitale tumour arising or thyroiditis is a reaction to neoplasia or these two pathologies are indipendeni each other, although both are present in the same patient.