Childhood and adolescent papillary carcinoma of the thyroid

Epidemiology

Carcinoma of the thyroid accounts for 3% of childhood malignancies. Most cases are papillary carcinomas.

Clinical features

There is a female to male ratio of about 2:1.

Histopathology

70% of cases will show tumour foci outside the main mass. About one third of cases show extensive vascular invasion.

Variants:

• papillary NOS

• tall cell variant of papillary

• solid/trabecular

• microcarcinoma

• follicular

• encapsulated follicular

Prognosis

The prognosis is excellent with almost 100% survival, irrespective of the subtype.

References

1 Collini P, Mattavelli F, Pellegrinelli A, et al. Papillary carcinoma of the thyroid gland of childhood and adolescence: Morphologic subtypes, biologic behavior and prognosis: a clinicopathologic study of 42 sporadic cases treated at a single institution during a 30-year period. Am J Surg Pathol 2006; 30:1420-6

This page last revised 4.1.2007.

©SMUHT/PW Bishop