[Progress in active surveillance for adult low-risk papillary thyroid microcarcinoma]

The incidence of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma （PTMC） increases rapidly. However, epidemiological and autopsy studies show that the prevalence of low-risk papillary thyroid microcarcinoma （LR-PTMC） is very high, but the mortality is very low. There is over-diagnosis and over-treatment for LR-PTMC. Active surveillance （AS） was adopted for LR-PTMCs instead of immediate surgery, and more than 70% of the lesions remained stable or shrank in clinical observation. Therefore, AS is recommended for LR-PTMCs in clinical guidelines of several academic organizations around the world. However, PTMC is not equal to low-risk cancer. The implementation of AS strategy requires a strict grasp of indications and full consideration of population characteristics to ensure the maximum benefit of patients. This paper summarizes the present clinical progress of active surveillance for adult LR-PTMC.