MEDULLARY CARCINOMA OF THE THYROID - REPO RT OF 8 CASES

Background: Medullary carcinoma of the thyroid is an infrequent type o f thyroid tumor. Aim: To retrospectively study all cases of medullary carcinoma of the thyroid diagnosed at a regional hospital. Patients an d methods: The charts and pathological studies of eight patients with medullary carcinoma of the thyroid, among 75 with thyroidal cancer, we re reviewed. Results: Solitary nodules were the presenting sign in sev en patients and cachexia in one. Five patients were subjected to total thyroidectomy, five to cervical lymph node dissection and four to com plementary radiotherapy. Pathological diagnosis was made with the surg ical piece in seven patients and by aspiration cytology in one. Five o f the eight patients are alive after 50 months of follow up as a mean, one patient with bone metastasis. Conclusions. The small sample size precludes conclusions on the prognosis and treatment of the disease.