[Medullary thyroid cancer: surgical results and prognostic factors]

Medullary thyroid carcinoma is a rare tumour (5 to 10% of all thyroid cancers). A number of factors influencing prognosis have been suggested, but their relative significance is not clear. This retrospective study was performed on 44 consecutive patients treated from 1965 to 2003. The aim of the study was to identify prognostic factors, and to assess the results of treatment and associated complications. Mean age was 53.8 years. 5 patients were stage I, 15 in stage II, 22 in stage III and 2 in stage IV. Total thyroidectomy was performed in all cases and 33 also underwent neck dissection. No postoperative complications were observed in 36 patients. Overall survival was 76% at 5 years and 57% at 10 years. In univariate analysis, the factors which were significant predictors of survival were stage III and IV, metastases at presentation, cervical lymph node dissection, postoperative external beam radiotherapy and elevated postoperative calcitonin. In the multivariate analysis, stage IV, metastases at presentation and persistent postoperative elevated calcitonin were significant predictors of survival.