Should a family history of papillary thyroid carcinoma indicate more aggressive therapy in patients with this tumor?

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether the currently recommended therapy for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) that show no classical factors indicating a poor prognosis is also effective in cases with a family history of this tumor.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Forty-two patients were studied; 10 were submitted to lobectomy and 32 to total thyroidectomy, including 23 without lymph node dissection and 9 with lymph node dissection. None of the patients received radioiodine or was maintained under TSH suppression.

RESULTS

No case of recurrence was detected by imaging methods and there was no increase in thyroglobulin or antithyroglobulin antibodies during follow-up (24 to 72 months).

CONCLUSION

The treatment usually recommended for patients with PTC does not need to be modified in the presence of a family history of this tumor if no factors indicating a poor prognosis are present (tumor ≤2 cm, non-aggressive histology, no extensive extrathyroid invasion or important lymph node involvement, complete tumor resection, no evidence of persistent disease after surgery).