The prevalence of incidental thyroid carcinoma in thyroidectomies performed for multinodular goiter in the endemic goiter region

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of incidentally diagnosed thyroid carcinoma in patients with multinodular goiter, and analyze the types of surgery preferred for such patients. Material and Methods: By retrospectively reviewing 923 patients who underwent surgery for multinodular goiter, the researchers determined the prevalence of thyroid carcinoma in those patients, and evaluated their treatment protocols within the scope of the present study. Results: Of 923 patients, 817 (88%) were females and 106 (12%) were males. The average age of the patients was 48.72±11.32 years. Fine needle aspiration biopsy was performed in 514 (55.6%) patients. Of all the patients, 435 underwent bilateral total thyroidectomy or bilateral near total thyroidectomy, 298 underwent bilateral subtotal thyroidectomy, 99 underwent the Dunhill procedure, and 28 underwent unilateral lobectomy due to the presence of unilateral MNG. Postoperative pathological examination revealed incidental thyroid carcinoma (ITC) in 42 (4.55%) patients. Thirty-seven of the patients had papillary carcinoma (37/923, 4.0%), four had follicular carcinoma (4/923, 0.4%), and one had Hurtle cell carcinoma (1/923, 0.1%). Conclousion: The prevalence of incidental thyroid carcinoma is non-negligibly high. Therefore, in order to avoid complications of complementary thyroidectomy, bilateral total thyroidectomy should be preferred as the first operation. © 2014 by Türkiye Klinikleri. © 2019 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.