Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 15, 2026
04:09
Minimal Invasive Resection of Large Retrosternal Thyroid Goiter
Published on: September 20, 2024
998
Cancer Frequency in Retrosternal Goiter
The American Surgeon
|January 17, 2018
Summary
Retrosternal goiters do not have a higher cancer incidence than cervical goiters. However, cancer foci in retrosternal goiters are often intrathoracic and missed by ultrasonography, suggesting surgical treatment is advisable.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Surgical Oncology
- Diagnostic Imaging
Background:
- Retrosternal goiters, with a prevalence of 5-40%, are sometimes associated with increased cancer rates.
- Mediastinal extension of goiters has been linked to higher cancer incidence in previous reports.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if cancer incidence is elevated in retrosternal goiters compared to cervical goiters.
- To compare the characteristics and detection rates of cancer in retrosternal versus cervical goiters.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study included 390 patients with retrosternal goiter (Group 1) and 880 with nontoxic multinodular goiter (Group 2).
- Preoperative ultrasonography (USG) and fine-needle aspiration biopsy were utilized for suspicious nodules.
- Histopathological examination classified carcinomas as intrathoracic or extrathoracic, with diagnostic rates of USG compared to pathology.
Main Results:
- Papillary carcinoma was diagnosed in 19% of retrosternal goiter patients and 22% of the control group, with no statistically significant difference in tumor rates.
- In retrosternal goiters, 72% of papillary carcinoma lesions were intrathoracic.
- Ultrasonography failed to detect many intrathoracic cancer foci in retrosternal goiters.
Conclusions:
- Cancer incidence in retrosternal goiters is not statistically higher than in cervical goiters.
- Intrathoracic cancer foci are common in retrosternal goiters and often missed by USG.
- Surgical treatment is recommended for all retrosternal goiters due to the potential for undetected intrathoracic malignancies.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Frequency-dependent Selection
24.2K
When the fitness of a trait is influenced by how common it is (i.e., its frequency) relative to different traits within a population, this is referred to as frequency-dependent selection. Frequency-dependent selection may occur between species or within a single species. This type of selection can either be positive—with more common phenotypes having higher fitness—or negative, with rarer phenotypes conferring increased fitness.
24.2K
00:51What is a Frequency Distribution
27.9K
A frequency is the number of times a value of the data occurs. The sum of all the frequency values represents the total number of students included in the sample. It is commonly used to group data of quantitative types. Frequency distributions can be displayed in a table, histogram, line graph, dot plot, or pie chart, just to name a few. A histogram is a graphical representation of tabulated frequencies, shown as adjacent rectangles, erected over discrete intervals (bins), with an area equal to...
27.9K
01:11Mean From a Frequency Distribution
23.3K
Sometimes, data gathered from an experiment on a large sample or population are organized into concise tables. In such cases, the frequency of the quantitative data set is plotted in the form of a table. Or else, the data values are grouped into the quantity’s intervals, which form classes, and their respective frequencies are known. That is, the data values are distributed over different categories or classes. This is known as frequency distribution.
When such a data set is encountered,...
When such a data set is encountered,...
23.3K
01:22Muscle Stimulation Frequency
4.7K
The contraction strength of muscles is regulated by motor neurons, which modulate the frequency of action potentials dispatched to the motor units based on the body's requirements. This process of varying the muscle stimulation frequency allows muscles to contract with a force that is precisely tailored to the needs of the moment, whether lifting a feather or a heavy box.
Wave summation
At low firing rates, motor neurons induce individual twitch contractions in muscle fibers. These twitches...
Wave summation
At low firing rates, motor neurons induce individual twitch contractions in muscle fibers. These twitches...
4.7K
01:24Frequency Response of BJT
1.4K
The frequency response of a Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT) in a common-emitter configuration is critical to its functionality, especially in applications involving amplification of alternating current (AC) signals. This response can be analyzed through low-frequency and high-frequency equivalent circuits, considering various internal parameters and external conditions.
Low-Frequency Response: At low frequencies, the behavior of the BJT is determined by its DC bias point, which is set by the...
Low-Frequency Response: At low frequencies, the behavior of the BJT is determined by its DC bias point, which is set by the...
1.4K
01:28Load-frequency control
683
Load-frequency control (LFC) is vital for maintaining power system stability, ensuring that frequency and power flows remain within acceptable limits during load changes. Turbine-governor control eliminates rotor accelerations and decelerations following load changes. However, a steady-state frequency error persists when the change in the turbine-governor reference setting is zero. In an interconnected power system, each area agrees to export or import a scheduled amount of power through...
683