Endokrynologia Polska 2010, tom 61, nr 5

Thyroid carcinoma (TC) is the most frequent neoplasm of endocrine glands. Well differentiated thyroid carcinomas (WDTCs) account for up to 90% of all thyroid carcinoma cases and are characterized by favourable prognosis when modern treatment is applied [1]...

An essential and widely accepted method of treating thyroid diseases is surgical treatment [1]. One of the basic indications for surgery is malignant lesion within the thyroid gland [2–4]. Such lesions may either be neoplasms developed primarily in the gland or, rarely, distant metastases from other organs [5–10]...

Calcitonin (CT) is a 32 amino acid peptide hormone physiologically produced by C-cells in the thyroid gland. CT is the best known specific marker for medullary thyroid cancer (MTC). MTC is a relatively rare disease, accounting for 3–5% of thyroid cancers, but mortality is higher than with differentiated thyroid cancer...

April 26 is the date of the anniversary of the Chernobyl atomic plant accident. On that day the world’s media discuss the issue of the effect of the disaster on the health of the residents of the radiocontaminated area. Olsztyn province, in the north-east of Poland, was within theaffected area. Iodine was a major fallout element, which, by being deposited in the thyroid gland, caused a marked increase in thyroid cancer incidence within the area of contamination...

Differentiated thyroid carcinomas (DTC) are usually characterized by a good prognosis and survival of patients [1–5]. Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) represents 75–80% DTC, and 10-year survival is observed in 98% of patients. However, the disease may have anaggressive course and 5–27% of patients with DTC develop regional and/or distant metastases...

Recurrent goitre among patients who have been previously operated due to benign lesions of the thyroid gland is still an important clinical problem in Poland. It seems to be the result of several factors, among them a history of long-term insufficient iodine-prophylaxis and insufficient post-thyroidectomy treatment and follow- up...

Benign thyroid diseases constitute one of the oldest indications for radionuclide therapy. For more than 60 years 131I has been applied for diffuse and nodular hyperthyroidism. It may also be used for large non-toxic goitres if patients are not eligible for surgery. Its efficacy is beyond discussion and many studies have shown the safety of such therapy [1–5]...

Low iodine diet is not routinely administered in Polish patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC), due to the moderate iodine deficiency in our country. Since iodine deficiency has been compensated for since the late nineties, the question of low iodine diet arises again...

The prognostic impact and predictive value of clinical and histological features in differentiated thyroid cancers (DTC) [1–5], as well as an optimal treatment related to disease stage [3, 6–14], are still discussed. Recent molecular investigations constitute a new approach...

Rekomendacje dla diagnostyki i leczenia raka tarczycy przygotowane w tym roku w czasie II Zjazdu Polskiego Towarzystwa Tyreologicznego są wspólnym osiągnięciem wielu towarzystw naukowych, które wspólnie zorganizowały Konferencję Naukową „Rak Tarczycy” jaką jednocześnie stanowił ten Zjazd. W niniejszym komentarzu chciałybyśmy krótko omówić te zmiany w stosunku do dotychczasowej praktyki, które zostały wprowadzone do diagnostyki, głównie ultrasonograficznej, wola guzkowego oraz do zasad wykonania i interpretacji BAC...