Well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma in children and adolescents. Review topic

Abstract

Thyroid carcinoma on children and teenagers it is a very unusual condition. Patients younger than 16 years old are a percentage between 5% and 10% from the total of the patients whose suffer thyroid carcinoma. The percentage between 80% and 90% suffer papillary thyroid carcinoma. Very often, these kind of patients develop, at the beginning of the disease, lymphatic metastasis and lung metastasis as well. Treannent and post-surgery surveillance follow exactly the same parameters followed on the treatrnent with adults. However children have more risk to have post-surgery and radioactive therapy complications. Positive prognosis for children and teenagers has a long term survival rate much better than prognosis for adults.