Malignant tumors of the thyroid

Carcinoma of the thyroid gland is not common. The majority of lesions in this series were differentiated in type. The treatment of choice is almost total thyroidectomy supplemented by I131 in some cases. L-thyroxine was prescribed routinely for all patients postoperatively for replacement and depression treatment. The immediate postoperative mortality was about 1% and prognosis is relatively good. Undifferentiated thyroid carcinomas are fast growing and very lethal and unfortunately no method of treatment is effective. Only four patients in this group survived more than a year.