[10 years of neoplastic pathology of the thyroid]

Here the authors have reported case studies made over a ten year period from 1982 to 1991 at the Surgical Semeiology Institutes of the Surgical Pathology, and Surgery Clinic II of the IRCCS San Matteo General Hospital, Pavia. It considered 28 cases of thyroid carcinomas (18 papillary, 6 follicular, 3 anaplastic and 1 medullary). Firstly an in depth examination using the most up to date diagnostic methods available today was made with particular attention paid to cytological examination by needle suction showing the rarity of the affliction. Then the histological variables the various biological aggressiveness, the multicentric and bilateral nature of certain neoplastic forms were recorded. Finally particular attention was paid to the therapeutic problem. In agreement with the great majority of authors, they believe that the best therapy is as follows. For differentiated tumours, a total thyroidectomy and when there is a more conservative surgical choice, the isthmolobectomy should be modified by prognostic indicators (age, sex, six of the tumour, single or multi location histotype). Furthermore lymphadenectomy should not be carried out automatically, but after a careful evaluation of the lymph node areas for a simple suspicion of metastasis.