Papillary and Follicular Thyroid Carcinoma

Papillary and follicular (differentiated) thyroid carcinomas are among the most curable cancers. However, some patients are at high risk for recurrent disease or even death. Most of these patients can be identified at the time of diagnosis by using well-established prognostic indicators. The extent of the initial treatment and follow-up care should therefore be tailored to the level of risk. Although treatment guidelines have been published,1,2 clinical procedures vary considerably among clinicians.3 EpidemiologyAlthough thyroid nodules are common, differentiated thyroid carcinomas are relatively rare. Clinically detectable thyroid carcinomas constitute less than 1 percent of all human cancers. The annual . . .