Thyroid cancer: Prognosis in 469 patients

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Abstract
Summary: A computer study of 469 patients with thyroid cancer is presented. There were 40 per cent anaplastic, 30 per cent papillary, 15 per cent follicular and 15 per cent rarer tumours. The 20-year survival was 7·5 per cent for anaplastic, 55 per cent for papillary and 35 per cent for follicular carcinoma. The dominant role of histology in prognosis is confirmed. Other important factors are: all patients under 45 reap benefit; females survive longer than males with papillary and follicular tumours. Cervical node metastases confer no depression in papillary tumours. Local tumour advance depresses survival but cililates diagnosis. We find merit in the TNM classification, but warn against overelaboration. We regret our failure to assess the differential effect of individual treatment, which poses a continuing challenge to oncologists.