Graves' disease, with and without nodules, and the risk of thyroid carcinoma

• Published in: Journal of laryngology and otology Vol. 122; no. 3; pp. 291 - 295
• Main Authors: Erbil, Y, Barbaros, U, Özbey, N, Kapran, Y, Tükenmez, M, Bozbora, A, Özarmağan, S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.03.2008
• Subjects: Ablation; Adolescent; Adult; Antibodies; Biological and medical sciences; Biopsy; Carcinoma, Papillary - diagnostic imaging; Carcinoma, Papillary - etiology; Disease; Endocrinopathies; Female; Graves; Graves disease; Graves Disease - complications; Graves Disease - diagnostic imaging; Humans; Male; Malignant tumors; Medical sciences; Metastasis; Middle Aged; Non tumoral diseases. Target tissue resistance. Benign neoplasms; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Papillary Carcinoma; Patients; Predictive Value of Tests; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Sonography; Thyroid cancer; Thyroid Neoplasms; Thyroid Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Thyroid Neoplasms - etiology; Thyroid Nodule - complications; Thyroid Nodule - diagnostic imaging; Thyroid. Thyroid axis (diseases); Thyroidectomy; Tumors; Ultrasonic imaging; Ultrasonography; United States > US; Sonography; Thyroid Neoplasms; Graves; Disease; Papillary Carcinoma; Endocrinopathy; Immunopathology; Papillary carcinoma; Hyperthyroidism; Thyroid diseases; Autoimmune disease; Risk; ENT; Thyroid gland; Malignant tumor; Nodule; Thyroid carcinoma; Echography; Risk factor; Graves disease; Cancer
• ISSN: 0022-2151; 1748-5460; 1748-5460; 1748-5640
• DOI: 10.1017/S0022215107000448

Thyroid nodules are frequently present in Graves' disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of thyroid carcinoma in Graves' disease patients, with and without ultrasonographically identified nodules, who subsequently underwent surgical treatment. The study group included 150 consecutive patients with diagnosed Graves' disease who subsequently underwent surgery. The patients were divided into two groups according to whether the pre-operative ultrasound scan showed diffuse parenchyma (group one; n = 70) or nodules (group two; n = 80). Of the 150 patients, 18 (12 per cent) were found to have papillary thyroid carcinoma. Papillary carcinoma was found in seven patients (10 per cent) in group one and in 11 patients (1.7 per cent) in group two. After evaluating the overall groups, the incidence of carcinoma in the parenchyma outside a nodule was 67 per cent, whereas the incidence of carcinoma in a nodule was 33 per cent. Carcinoma can occur in Graves' disease patients without nodules, and the absence of nodules on ultrasonographic examination does not reduce the risk of malignancy.