A Study of 558 Cases of Cold Thyroid Nodules, 1991-1999; Comparison to a Decade Earlier

Nakbjavani M

Abstract

Introduction:

Although thyroid nodules are usually benign, malignancy must always be ruled out. Many efforts have been made to find. malignant nodules and reduce the number of unnecessary operations. In this study, our aim was to examine, after the more extensive use of fine needle aspiration (FNA), whether the incidence of cancer finding has been increased.

Materials and Methods:

We studied retrospectively the medical records of the patients who were operated during 1991 through 1999 in the university hospital setting. Age, sex, FNA and complete pathologic reports, and whether the lesion was multinodular or a solitary nodule, were studied. The results were then compared with those of a previous study performed in the same center a decade earlier.

Results:

Patients' age was 3912.7 year with benign nodules, and 4515 year with malignant lesions (P<0.001). The frequencies of pathologic lesions were: multinodular goiter, 59.5%; thyroid cancer, 30.5%; thyroid adenoma, 7.7%; and thyroiditis, 2.3%. There was no relationship between being multinodular or single nodule on one hand, and malignancy on the other. The prevalence of colloid nodular goiter in a study performed a decade earlier was 81.8%; thyroid cancer 10.2%; adenomas 6.5%; and thyroiditis 1.5'Yu. FNAs were done for 50% in the present study, whereas this was done only in 10% of patients in the earlier study.

Conclusions:

It seems that the more widespread use of FNA is an important reason of significant increase in cancer finding.

Keywords

Thyroid nodule Colloid nodular goiter thyroid cancer Fine needle aspiration