Malignant thyroid disease : a report from one major hospital in Basrah

Abstract EN

This is a retrospective study, reviewing all surgically treated thyroid conditions in the period between September 1998 to September 2001.

The results showed that the incidence of malignant thyroid conditions is 6.6%, and that papillary carcinoma is the most common thyroid cancer having an incidence of 82%.

All patients presented with the complaint of neck swelling, in no patient manifestations of systemic dissemination found.

Fine needle aspiration cytology was available for 11(39%) patients and was diagnostic in 7(63%) and highly suspicious in 4(37%).

The number of re-operations was 9 (32%) and was always due to no use of FNAC in patients with multi-nodularity of one lobe.

Thyroid carcinoma is not uncommon in our district.

Preoperative diagnosis by more use of FNAC will decrease the incidence of re-operations that are more complicated than first operation.