Triglia J M, Guys J M, Zanaret M, Cannoni M, Carcassonne M, Pech A
Clinique ORL, CHU Timone, Marseille.
Ann Otolaryngol Chir Cervicofac. 1989;106(3):182-6.
Study of a personal series of 10 cases of thyroid cancer in children and a review of the literature reveals what we consider to be the 3 problems which are posed by this pathology in children: 1. The frequency of isolated cervical adenopathy in the initial symptomatology may be confused with congenital swelling or inflammatory adenopathy. 2. The surgical management depends on the histological nature: total thyroidectomy, lymph node excision, risk to the parathyroid gland and IRAtherapy all depend on the histological data. 3. Finally, the long term prognosis of these cancers is unknown. Schematically, differentiated cancers including papillary carcinomas have a good or indeed excellent prognosis, while medullary carcinomas have a prognosis which will imminently depend on the extrathyroid involvement, the quality of thyroidectomy and lymph node clearance. This highlights the problem of screening for subclinical disease in familial forms of the disease.
