Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 24, 2026
"Sun's Seven-Step Technique" for Endoscopic En-Bloc Resection of Thyroid Cancer via the Chest-Breast Approach
Published on: November 28, 2025
Necessity of routine ipsilateral hemithyroidectomy during laryngopharyngectomy for pyriform sinus cancer
Ozan B Ozgursoy1, John R Jacobs
1Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Wayne State University and Karmanos Cancer Institute, 5E-University Health Center, Detroit, MI 48201, USA. ozanozgursoy@yahoo.com
Purpose:
The aim of this study was to revisit the role of hemithyroidectomy in the treatment of pyriform sinus cancer by determining the incidence of thyroid gland invasion by the tumor.
Materials And Methods:
Medical records of 27 patients with pyriform sinus cancer who underwent laryngopharyngectomy with ipsilateral hemithyroidectomy from 1999 to 2010 at a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center were retrospectively reviewed. Computed tomographic scans of the neck, operative notes, and surgical specimens were examined to determine the presence of thyroid gland invasion by imaging, clinical appearance, and pathology.
Results:
There were 19 male and 8 female patients (age range, 44-79 years; mean, 59.9 years). Most of the cases (85%) had advanced-stage disease. Extralaryngeal spread of tumor with thyroid cartilage invasion was noted in the computed tomographic scans of 5 patients; however, there was no radiologic evidence of thyroid gland invasion in any patient. No gross thyroid gland invasion by the tumor was appreciated in any patient during surgery. No histologic evidence of tumoral invasion of the thyroid gland was found in any of 27 surgical specimens.
Conclusions:
Results of this study suggest that thyroid gland invasion by pyriform sinus cancer is not common. Therefore, a routine ipsilateral hemithyroidectomy may not be necessary in the treatment of every patient with pyriform sinus cancer, unless there is evidence of thyroid gland invasion.
