221例甲状腺癌的外科治疗体会

目的 探讨甲状腺癌的诊断和外科治疗方法。方法 回顾性分析我院2003年1月-2007年12月间收治的221例甲状腺癌患者的临床资料。甲状腺次全切除161例，甲状腺全切57例，姑息性手术3例。除3例行姑息性手术外其余所有患者均常规颈部中心区淋巴清扫。结果 术后病理检查证实有淋巴转移者为40．3％（89／221）。术后并发症包括5例短暂喉返神经麻痹，37例短暂低血钙抽搐，1例永久性甲状旁腺功能低下，2例术后颈部血肿。本组患者术前B超检查均发现甲状腺内实性或囊实性低回声结节，其中结节内伴微钙化灶者79例（35．7％）。获得随访187例患者，随访率为84．6％，随访6月～5年，除未分化癌患者术后7月死亡，其余患者均存活。结论 患侧甲状腺＋峡部＋对侧甲状腺大部分切除＋中心区淋巴清扫是甲状腺癌的主要手术方式，术前高频B超检查提示甲状腺结节内沙砾微钙化灶对甲状腺癌的术前诊断有重要意义。     

Radiation-associated thyroid tumors: extent of operation and pathology technique influence the apparent incidence of carcinoma

A prospective study and follow-up program of 2,118 patients with prior low-dose head and neck irradiation, entered into a thyroid screening project, allowed us to examine how the extent of operation and pathology technique influenced the incidence of thyroid carcinoma. Patients with palpable nodular thyroid disease were referred to their physicians with a recommendation for surgery: 107 patients had thyroid surgery in community hospitals (CHs) where enucleation of the nodule or lobectomy was the usual operation, and 29 patients had surgery at Milwaukee County Medical Complex (MCMC) where near-total thyroidectomy was routine. Lymph nodes were sampled in 69% of MCMC operations but in only 16% of CH operations. The pathologist's usual method at MCMC was to submit the total surgical specimen and to do serial sections. Less than total specimen examination and random sections typically were done in community hospitals. The mean age and sex ratio of the patients and size of thyroid lesions in the two groups were not different. Cancer was found in 59% (17/29) of patients who underwent operation at MCMC, while only 21% (22/107) of patients who underwent operation in CHs were found to have carcinoma (P less than 0.001). Surprisingly, there was nearly uniform agreement (99%) in the diagnoses made by MCMC and CH pathologists, and the incidence of microscopic foci of carcinoma was similar in both groups. We conclude that the incidence of thyroid carcinoma found in patients with prior head and neck irradiation who have had operation for thyroid nodules is related to the extent of thyroidectomy, routine lymph node sampling, the amount of resected thyroid tissue processed for histologic examination, and the absolute number of sections examined by the pathologist.     

Extent of surgery for differentiated thyroid cancer

The authors believe that total or near total thyroidectomy followed by 131I ablation and thyroid hormone suppression therapy are there commended extent of surgery and treatment of choice in differentiated thyroid cancer. This is based on retrospective data showing that total thyroidectomy plus 131I and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) suppression reduces disease recurrence and mortality, removes all intrathyroidal cancer, and facilitates the use of 131I scans and thyroglobulin measurements to monitor for recurrence. Recent decision analyses supporting this recommendation are summarized in this article. The recommendation comes with the caveat that total thyroidectomy must be performed safely with a low complication rate. With the institution of this appropriate treatment regimen, the prognosis for the majority of our patients with differentiated thyroid cancer is excellent.     

Advances in the management of thyroid cancer

The incidence of thyroid cancer is rapidly increasing in the United States. A large number of incidentalomas are found during routine head and neck evaluations. The diagnostic workup still revolves around fine needle aspiration biopsy. Ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration biopsy is likely to yield the best results. Surgical resection offers the best treatment choice. Controversy continues in relation to total versus less than total thyroidectomy. The incidence of complications is inversely proportional to the extent of surgery and obviously related to the experience of the operating surgeon. The decision regarding the extent of thyroidectomy should be based on prognostic factors and risk groups. Prognostic factors are well defined, such as age, grade of the tumor, extrathyroidal extension, size, distant metastasis, and histology. Nodal metastasis has minimal implications. Based on prognostic factors, thyroid cancer can be divided into low, intermediate and high risk groups. In the high risk group and in selected intermediate risk patients, radioactive iodine dosimetry and ablation should be considered after total thyroidectomy. PET scanning and the use of recombinant TSH have been major advances in follow-up care for patients with thyroid cancer. Thyroglobulin appears to be a very good tumor marker for follow-up. No major breakthrough is noted in the management of anaplastic thyroid cancer, however, identification of RET mutation has been extremely helpful in evaluating the family members of the patient with medullary thyroid cancer with strong consideration given to total thyroidectomy.     

Clinical study on pulmonary metastases of differentiated thyroid carcinoma--with special reference to the extent of thyroid resection and RI therapy

Prognosis of differentiated thyroid carcinoma is favorable unless distant metastasis develops. We have experienced 70 cases of differentiated thyroid carcinoma with pulmonary metastases and analysed the outcome of treatment of patients, with special reference to the extent of thyroid resection and postoperative ablative RI therapy. The following results were obtained: Of the 42 survivors 22 (52.4%) received total thyroidectomy, whereas 23 of 28 expired patients underwent less-than-total thyroidectomy. A total of 42 patients underwent radioiodine treatment following thyroid resection. 17 out of 18 patients who had received total thyroidectomy survived. On the other hand, only 11 out of 24 patients who had received less-than-total thyroidectomy survived. In the non-RI treatment group, prognoses were unfavorable in both total and less-than-total thyroidectomy groups. From these results, it is emphasized that ablative doses of RI should be given to patients with pulmonary metastases of differentiated thyroid carcinoma after total thyroidectomy.     

Ultrasonographic Mass Screening for Thyroid Carcinoma: A Study in Women Scheduled to Undergo a Breast Examination

This study was carried out to clarify the sensitivity of ultrasonographic mass screening for thyroid carcinoma. Between December 1997 and July 1998, a total of 1401 subjects who were scheduled to undergo either a breast examination or a follow-up examination for breast cancer were enrolled in this study. Patients with thyroid nodules were classified into two groups according to their potential risk for malignancy based on the ultrasonographic findings. Ultrasonographic high-risk patients for thyroid cancer underwent an ultrasound guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) and were advised to undergo a thyroidectomy based on the FNAB results. The characteristics of the thyroid cancer patients detected by mass screening were then compared with those of 106 consecutive female patients with clinical thyroid cancer during the same period. Thyroid nodules were detected in 353 (25.2%) of the subjects, 94 (26.6%) of whom were placed in the high-risk group for thyroid cancer. Among the 94 high-risk patients, 43 underwent a thyroidectomy and 37 turned out to have thyroid carcinomas. The detection rate for thyroid cancer was 2.6% for all subjects. The tumor size was significantly smaller than that of the clinically detected cancer group (P < 0.05). Ultrasonographic mass screening for thyroid carcinoma in women who require breast examinations is thus considered to be effective for the detection of subclinical thyroid carcinoma.     

甲状腺良性结节手术后复发的再治疗

目的 探讨甲状腺良性结节手术后复发的相关因素和再治疗原则。方法 对我院18年中51例甲状腺良性结节手术后临床复发者的病理、手术适应证、术式以及再治疗进行回顾性分析。结果 甲状腺良性结节手术后复发与病变性质、单发或多发、手术适应证的掌握及术式的选择密切相关。51例复发者中结节性甲状腺肿29例,甲状腺瘤22例;其中行结节摘除21例,腺叶部分切除16例,一侧腺叶次全切除9例,一侧腺叶切除5例。再手术38例,行一侧腺叶切除19例,一侧叶切加对侧次全切除3例,一侧次全切除7例,双侧次全切除9例;无严重手术并发症。随访32例再手术者,平均7年,仅1例结节性甲状腺肿再复发。结论 对甲状腺瘤和结节性甲状腺肿的正确诊断、明确病变的单发或多发,严格掌握多发性结节性甲状腺肿的手术适应证,并废弃结节摘除和腺叶部分切除术可降低复发率和再手术率。     

Total thyroidectomy does not enhance disease control or survival even in high-risk patients with differentiated thyroid cancer.

SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: The extent of primary thyroidectomy for differentiated thyroid cancer is controversial. There are strong proponents for total thyroidectomy based on its presumed and theoretical disease control benefits. In contrast, there are equally strong advocates of less aggressive thyroidectomy with its lower hazard of parathyroid and recurrent nerve injury. The authors have addressed whether total thyroidectomy has a survival benefit justifying its use in patients with high-risk primary cancer. The major risk factors include age and the following the pathologic determinants follicular histology, vascular invasion, and extracapsular extension. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The clinical pathologic, therapeutic, prognostic, and outcome data were reviewed in 347 patients with well-differentiated thyroid cancer. Seventy-five percent were women, 216 patients were in the younger age group (low-risk) (21-50 years), 103 were in the intermediate-risk group (51-70 years), and 28 were in the high-risk group (>70 years). Included in the high-risk pathologic category were 158 patients who had follicular histology (55), extracapsular extension (107), or vascular invasion (119). Total thyroidectomy was performed in 56 patients, near or subtotal thyroidectomy in 47 patients and lobectomy in 55 patients. The 10-year disease specific survival in the overall patient group was 82% in patients with total thyroidectomy, 78% in patients with subtotal thyroidectomy, and 89% in patients with lobectomy (p = 0.30). There was no significant survival difference according to extent of thyroidectomy in the intermediate or high-risk groups either by age or in patients who had high-risk pathologic feature. CONCLUSIONS: Total thyroidectomy in high-risk patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (containing follicular histology, vascular invasion, or extracapsular extension) showed no benefit over partial thyroidectomy. This suggests that the general use of total thyroidectomy is not indicated, except in highly selected patients.     

彩色多普勒超声在甲状腺癌中的诊断价值

目的评估彩色多普勒超声对甲状腺癌的诊断价值。方法回顾分析2009年1月至2009年12月因甲状腺结节行手术切除的患者资料,共207名患者入组本研究,其中行超声检查207例,行超声＋CT检查144例。所有患者行手术治疗,对比术后病理与术前影像学检查结果。用统计软件SPSS16．0,计数资料用卡方检验对比超声与CT的统计学意义,对比超声与CT的敏感性、特异性、阳性预测值、阴性预测值和准确率,P〈0．05有统计学意义。结果207例甲状腺结节患者术后病理显示151例为良性,56例为恶性。对比术前资料。超声和CT的敏感性分别是80．4％、75．0％,特异性分别是68．2％、47．1％,准确率分别是71．5％、54．9％,阳性预测值分别是48．4％、35．3％,阴性预测值分别是90．4％、83．1％。超声检查在甲状腺肿瘤良恶性结节中的特异性和准确率明显高于CT检查（P〈0．01）,差异均有统计学意义。结论彩色多普勒超声检查是鉴别甲状腺结节良恶性非常有用的方法。形态不规则、钙化、低回声、边界不清、Ⅱ型血流及实性结节是判断结节良恶性的参考指标。存在3个以上超声特征的结节的恶性概率将明显增加。超声检查在良恶性鉴别方面优于CT检查。CT检查对甲状腺癌评估有一定的价值,可协助超声检查。     

Surgical treatment of postoperative, incidentally diagnosed small sporadic C-cell carcinomas of the thyroid

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The surgical strategy in small sporadic C-cell carcinomas of the thyroid that are incidentally diagnosed after goiter resection for benign disease is controversial. It remains unclear whether a completion thyroidectomy should be performed in every case. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We present nine patients who were operated on between October 1992 and October 1997 in whom an unexpected, small sporadic C-cell carcinoma (seven with pT1, two with pT2) was found in the postoperative histology. RESULTS: All patients were calcitonin negative and there were no signs of the disease being inherited (no familial history, negative RET proto-oncogene). No patient underwent a completion thyroidectomy. All patients had a follow-up with pentagastrin-stimulated calcitonin and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) 3 months, 6 months and annually after the operation. No patient became calcitonin positive or showed any other signs of tumor recurrence after a follow-up period of 2-7 years. CONCLUSION: A completion thyroidectomy is not necessary in small sporadic C-cell carcinoma that is incidentally diagnosed after resection for benign disease if there is no sign of familial cancer and if calcitonin is negative. A close follow-up is necessary.     

Recurrence of thyroid carcinoma in cervical soft tissue following surgical implantation: Case report

IntroductionThyroid cancer is the most common type of malignant endocrine cancer. Differentiated thyroid cancer, which includes papillary and follicular cancers, represents majority (90%) of all thyroid cancers and has a favorable prognosis.However, a minority of patients develops loco-regional recurrence.Case reportWe report here a rare case of a 63 years-old man who underwent total thyroidectomy in 2015 for multinodular goiter whose histopathological examination revealed a papillary thyroid carcinoma. He received 6 weeks later a 100 mCi of radioactive iodine therapy. In 2017, he was admitted for multiple cervical lymph nodes with high serum thyroglobulin level (234 ng/mL) which required a bilateral central and lateral neck dissection. He was readmitted in 2019 for multiple subcutaneous neck nodules with high serum thyroglobulin level (197 ng/mL). The histopathological examination of the excised nodules revealed a papillary thyroid carcinoma. The patient showed no sign of recurrence after 2 years follow-up.ConclusionLocal soft tissue recurrence followed surgical implantation should be suspected when nodules are determined alongside the thyroid after previous thyroid surgery. Therapy for these soft tissue implants may be difficult; a comprehensive long-term postoperative evaluation should be completed to minimize the risk of recurrence in cervical soft tissue.     

甲状腺微小乳头状癌的诊治：附47例报告

目的:探讨甲状腺微小乳头状癌(PTMC)的临床病理特征及诊治策略。方法:回顾性分析2011年6月—2016年5月经手术与病理证实的47例PTMC患者临床资料。结果:47例患者中,男9例,女38例;年龄(46.3±12.1)岁;病程(12.4±23.7)个月;均行术前超声检查,14例行超声引导下细针穿刺细胞学检查(FNA),经FNA确诊PTMC 11例(78.6%);13例行患侧甲状腺全切,3例行患侧甲状腺全切+对侧叶大部切除术,31例行双侧甲状腺全切;14例行中央区颈淋巴结清扫术,15例行中央区加颈侧区淋巴结清扫。肿瘤病灶平均长径(0.68±0.23)cm;21例(44.7%)为多发病灶,其中14例(29.8%)为双侧甲状腺多发病灶;中央区淋巴结转移率48.3%(14/29),颈侧区淋巴结转移率53.3%(8/15)。单因素分析显示,肿瘤侵犯包膜与淋巴结转移有关(P=0.035)。8例患者术后发生并发症,其中暂时性甲状旁腺功能不全5例,切口积液1例,暂时性喉返神经损伤1例,暂时性喉上神经损伤1例。结论:甲状腺外科医生需熟悉甲状腺癌超声特点,不建议扩大FNA指征。对于术前超声已提示多发结节、术中探查可疑多发结节或存在高危因素者,手术建议行双侧甲状腺全切。预防性中央组淋巴结清扫结合术中冷冻病理对确定个体化手术方案及指导术后治疗是必要的。     

Biologic considerations and operative strategy in papillary thyroid carcinoma: arguments against the routine performance of total thyroidectomy

Reasons cited for the routine performance of total thyroidectomy in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma include: fear of multicentric neoplastic foci causing local recurrence and death; risk of anaplastic transformation of unresected multifocal microscopic carcinoma; toxicity of high-dose radioactive iodine to ablate normal thyroid remnants; and lack of reliable criteria for grading malignancy and identifying patients at high risk. However, autopsy studies have detected microscopic foci of papillary thyroid cancer as incidental findings in up to 24% of patients dead of other diseases. The prevalence of anaplastic transformation of papillary thyroid carcinoma as determined from reports in the literature is less than 1%. A retrospective investigation of 90 patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma derived from the Swedish National Cancer Registry showed no complications from radioiodine ablation of postoperative thyroid remnants in 45 patients. Retrospective analysis of the DNA content of tumors at the time of the initial operation showed a significant difference between a group of 10 patients who died of recurrent and metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma and a group of 16 patients alive at least 10 years after operation despite distant metastases or recurrent cancer in the thyroid bed and/or cervical lymph nodes. The risk of permanent hypoparathyroidism is higher in patients after total thyroidectomy without apparent improvement in survival rates when compared with less extensive resections. Therefore it is proposed that the criteria for total thyroidectomy in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma be limited to: tumors that clinically involve both lobes of the thyroid gland, extracapsular spread of cancer requiring enbloc resection, and reoperations where scarring prevents accurate delineation of the extent of the tumor. By differentiating patients at high risk for death from papillary thyroid carcinoma from patients at low risk, the measurement of DNA content may decrease the need for routine total thyroidectomy.     

Differentiated Thyroid Cancer: “Complete” Rational Approach

Controversy continues regarding the optimal management of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer because no prospective randomized studies evaluating the merits of (1) extent of thyroidectomy, (2) postoperative radioactive iodine ablation, or (3) thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) suppressive therapy exist. Patients with low risk differentiated thyroid cancer enjoy a relatively good prognosis with a mortality rate of about 2% to 5% and a recurrence rate of about 20%. Despite the excellent prognosis in patients considered to be at low risk, total or near-total thyroidectomy in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer has the advantages that: (1) postoperative radioactive iodine can be used to detect and treat residual normal thyroid tissue and local or distant metastases; (2) follow-up serum thyroglobulin levels are a more sensitive marker of persistent or recurrent disease when all thyroid tissue has been removed; and (3) total or near-total thyroidectomy with postoperative ¹³¹I ablation and TSH suppressive therapy is associated with better survival and lower recurrence rates. Patients with occult papillary thyroid cancer and minimally invasive follicular thyroid cancer can be treated by thyroid lobectomy because they have a near-normal life expectancy. Virtually all other patients with differentiated thyroid cancer appear to benefit from more extensive initial treatment.     

Papillary thyroid carcinoma in children: risk factors and complications of disease recurrence

Introduction

Optimal treatment of recurrent papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) in children remains controversial. We reviewed our experience with recurrent PTC to better identify children diagnosed with it.

Aims

The objective of this study was to determine the risk factors, optimal treatment, complications, and prognosis of recurrent PTC in children.

Methods

This is a retrospective review of all thyroid resections for children aged 18 years or younger who have PTC at a single institution from 1987 to 1999.

Results

Thirty-six children, 7 boys (19%) and 29 girls (81%), underwent initial cervical exploration for PTC. Lymph node involvement was noted in 25 patients (69%); however, there was no distal disease. An equal number of children underwent subtotal thyroidectomy (n = 18) and total (n = 18) thyroidectomy as their initial operation. Papillary thyroid carcinoma recurrences developed in 17 patients (47%) a median of 7 months (range, 1-43 months) after their initial operation. Recurrence was more common for patients with lymph node involvement (P < .01) and multiple nodules (P < .05) at presentation. Recurrence developed in 5 patients after subtotal thyroidectomy and in 12 patients after total thyroidectomy. Sixteen children with recurrent PTC had a second operation and 6 required a third operation. Total operative complications included 2 patients with permanent hypocalcemia and 1 patient with permanent recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, all of whom had a total thyroidectomy. No patient died; however, 3 continue to harbor disease. Mean follow-up for patients with PTC was 65 months (range, 15 to 144 months).

Conclusions

Thyroid resection combined with selective use of radioactive iodine ablation is a safe and effective treatment for recurrent PTC in children. The best predictors of this recurrent disease are lymph node involvement and multiple thyroid nodules at presentation.     

Reevaluation of the surgical treatment of thyroid nodules diagnosed as cancer postoperatively

Reevaluation was carried out on the surgical treatment for clinically benign thyroid nodules. One hundred and thirty-seven patients underwent conservative resections of the thyroid because of preoperative impression of benign nodules at the First Department of Surgery, Nagoya University Hospital from 1970 to 1984. Permanent paraffin sections of the resected specimen revealed that the nodules in 4 patients were intrathyroidal cancer (3 papillary and 1 follicular) and the nodules in the other 8 patients were associated with an unsuspected small (3 approximately 15 mm) thyroid cancer. All those patients underwent either lobectomy or subtotal thyroidectomy at the initial surgery except for one patient in whom enucleation was performed. No further intervention was carried out when the definitive diagnosis was made, except for one patient in whom the enucleation was followed by lobectomy. No neck dissection was attempted in all of them. Patients have been living and well without evidence of recurrence for 3 to 11 years and one died of unrelated disease. From these results, it is recommended that lobectomy is the least requirement in treating clinically benign nodule and that, when paraffin section reveals the tumor is intrathyroidal cancer, no further surgery is justified unless there are other foci of cancer in the resected lobe.     

热消融治疗甲状腺乳头状癌的有效性评估

目的通过对甲状腺乳头状癌（PTC）热消融后复发再手术病例进行分析,探讨热消融是否能用于可手术的PTC患者。 方法回顾性分析2015年5月至2019年8月间青岛大学附属烟台毓璜顶医院甲状腺外科热消融治疗后再手术的23例患者资料。所有患者在外院行热消融治疗前均行甲状腺细针穿刺（FNA）,20例穿刺病理为PTC,3例不除外PTC可能。15例行甲状腺癌根治术,1例行侧颈部淋巴结改良根治术,7例患者因存在复发结节压迫症状,行甲状腺腺叶切除术。 结果再手术后石蜡病理示,56.52%（13/23）见癌细胞,43.47%（10/23）未查见癌细胞,30.43%（7/23）见中央区淋巴结转移。2例消融对侧发现新发甲状腺结节,术后石蜡病理证实为PTC。 结论热消融治疗PTC无法彻底处理原发灶,达不到根治效果。对于可行手术治疗的PTC患者,不建议热消融治疗。     

分化型甲状腺癌初始手术规范化的思考

分化型甲状腺癌初始手术治疗的规范化是改善病人预后的关键因素。对于分化型甲状腺癌的原发灶切除范围,废弃小于一侧腺叶的手术方式已达成共识,分歧在于是否应对所有病例均行全甲状腺切除或近全甲状腺切除术。关于颈淋巴结清扫术,推荐在根治原发灶的基础上常规行Ⅵ区淋巴结清扫术,改良型颈淋巴结清扫术用于cN1 病例已是共识,要坚持大块切除的原则,杜绝淋巴结“摘除术”,但对cN0病例是否进行颈淋巴结清扫还存在分歧, 目前不做选择性颈淋巴结清扫术的观点占主流。对周围器官受侵的病例,要注意保护重要器官的功能。     

Efficacy of 131I ablation following thyroidectomy in patients with invasive follicular thyroid cancer.

The role of thyroid ablation following thyroidectomy for invasive follicular cancer remains controversial. The use of iodine 131 (131I) ablation as adjuvant therapy may facilitate follow-up of patients in whom serum thyroglobulin levels and 131I total body scans are used to detect metastatic disease. It is uncertain if 131I ablation improves survival of patients with follicular thyroid cancer. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine if survival is enhanced following ablation, with particular reference to those patients with minimally invasive cancer. Between the years 1955 to 1988, 142 patients with invasive thyroid follicular cancer were treated at the British Columbia Cancer Agency, of whom 71 had minimal invasion and no extrathyroidal extension of tumor. In this group of patients, 46 underwent hormone suppression only, 17 had ablation, and 8 had neither. The average follow-up was 9 years and extended beyond 15 years in many patients. Data were entered in a mainframe computer, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used, comparing crude survival, disease-specific survival, and disease-free survival. There was no significant difference between groups. In patients with follicular thyroid cancer and capsular invasion only, 131I ablation does not improve survival compared with patients treated with thyroid hormone suppression only.     

Surgical management of thyroid cancer invading the airway

Background: Locally advanced thyroid cancer invading the tracheal cartilage represents a difficult treatment dilemma during thyroidectomy. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed to determine the results of laryngotracheal resection or tracheal cartilage shave with adjuvant radiotherapy in patients with locally advanced thyroid cancer invading the upper airway. Results: Of 597 patients undergoing thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer, 40 were found to have laryngotracheal invasion. Thirty-five patients with superficial invasion underwent cartilage shave procedures with adjuvant radiotherapy; five with full-thickness invasion underwent radical resection, including tracheal sleeve resection (n=3) or total laryngectomy (n=2). Histologic subtypes included papillary (n=32), follicular (n=2), Hurthle cell (n=1), medullary (n=3), and anaplastic (n=2). Of the cartilage shave group, 25 are currently alive with no evidence of disease at a mean follow-up of 81 months (range 1–290). Six developed isolated local/regional recurrence and were managed with total laryngectomy (n=1), tracheal resection (n=1), cervical lymphadenectomy (n=1), or repeat radiotherapy (n=3). All six patients remain free of disease at a mean follow-up of 5 years. Of those who underwent initial laryngotracheal resection, four remain free of disease at a mean follow-up of 5 years. The rates of 10-year disease-free survival and overall survival for all patients were 47.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] 24.8, 71.0) and 83.9% (95% CI 70.3, 97.5), respectively. Conclusions: These data suggest that adequate management of thyroid cancer with laryngotracheal invasion can be achieved with a more conservative surgical approach and adjuvant radiotherapy, reserving more radical resections for extensive primary lesions or locally recurrent disease. Presented at the 49th Annual Cancer Symposium of The Society of Surgical Oncology, Atlanta, Georgia, March 21–24, 1996.