[Surgical treatment of differentiated thyroid carcinoma]

This paper reports the results and experiences of 95 cases with differentiated thyroid carcinoma managed by surgical treatment. Eighty-two patients were followed up with an average time of 6.2 years, the longest was fifteen years and six months, 96% of patients were survival over 5 years. The factors influencing prognosis are as follows: 1. Age: Elder predicts worse prognosis. 2.

Papillary is better then follicular. 3. The stage of thyroid carcinoma: Bigger mass, tumor cells spreading out of thyroid capsule with invasion of adjacent tissues and regional lymph nodes, and intravascular tumor cell embolus almost always shows higher recurrence and mortality. 4. Simple tumor removal before admission gives no reasonable cure, but increasing risk of spreading as showed in our cases. Therefore, we emphasize that thyroid carcinoma should be treated primarily with radical operation. By our experience thyroid carcinoma should be treated with lobectomy for affected site, excision of isthmus, and contralateral subtotal thyroidectomy. Because of the low grade malignancy in differentiated thyroid carcinoma, modified neck dissection is the surgical procedure of choice. Patients undergoing such surgical procedure as stated above can be prevented from sequelae.