Endokrynologia Polska 2010, tom 61, nr 5

Thyroid cancer diagnosis is based mainly on fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) performed under ultrasonography guidance [1]. In cases of an inconclusive FNAB result, when there is no clear evidential data to support the existence of a malignant lesion, or due to any otherreasons such as the patient’s age or coexisting diseases, which make the decision process difficult...

Differentiated thyroid cancers (DTC), papillary and follicular thyroid cancers, constitute the commonest endocrine malignancy. Among other endocrine neoplasms they are characterized by the most favourable prognosis. During recent years an increasing incidence of thyroid cancer has been observed [1–3]...

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC), poorly differentiated (insular) thyroid carcinoma (PDTC), and undifferentiated (anaplastic) thyroid carcinoma are all non-medullary thyroid cancer histotypes (NMTC) which originate from thyroidepithelial cells [1]. Among them, 5% constitute hereditary cases (HNMTC)...

Differentiated thyroid cancers (DTC) derive from follicular cells. Molecular pathogenesis of the most frequent histotype, papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), is related to constitutive activation of the Ras-Raf-MEK-MAP-ERK kinase signalling pathway due to B-Raf mutations, Ras mutations, or to RET/PTC rearrangement [1–4]...

As suggested by several multicenter studies, acromegalic patients are believed to show a risk, higher than that in the general population, of developing benign and malignant tumours, mainly of the digestive tract (particularly colorectal), brain, prostate, breast, or thyroid gland[1, 2]. The aetiology of these tumours is unknown, but it may reflect the increased levels of growth hormone (hGH) and insulin-like growth hormone (IGF-1) in the blood...

Human gene CHEK2 encodes CHK2 protein, a protein kinase engaged in DNA-repair. Activating cell substrates, it regulates the cell cycle and affects apoptosis and aging of cells [1, 2]. Mutations of the CHEK2 gene lead to the development of various cancers [1–3]. The two main groups of mutations of this gene are characterized by either truncation of the encoded protein or the missense type, with the substitution of one amino acid into another...

Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is a rare neoplasm which makes up from 5% to 10% of all thyroid cancers. It is characterized by an early metastasis to the cervical lymph nodes encompassing 50–75% of all cases. In initial diagnosis (preoperative), distant metastasis is confirmed in 10–15% of all patients...

Metastatic cancer is rarely found in the thyroid gland. Despite abundant vascular supply, secondary involvement of the thyroid gland from the primary malignancy accounts for 2–3% of malignant thyroid tumours [1]. Primary sources usually include breast, kidney, andlung tumours [1–3]...

Rekomendacje obejmują diagnostykę wola guzkowego ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem wskazań do BAC, zasady jej wykonania, interpretacji i postępowania po BAC, zasady leczenia operacyjnego wola guzkowego w kontekście wczesnego wykrycia raka, rozpoznanie raka tarczycy, jego leczenie i monitorowanie...

It is generally understood that proliferation of thyroid follicular cells, normal and transformed, is regulated by TSH. Therefore, patients diagnosed with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) who have undergone total thyroidectomy are treated with TSH-suppressing dosesof L-thyroxine (LT4)...