Abstract
Background. Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma is a rare and highly lethal neoplasm. We investigated
whether operations have an impact on the survival of patients who have anaplastic
carcinoma without distant metastasis. Methods. Between 1989 and 1999, 40 consecutive patients with anaplastic carcinoma, without
distant metastasis at the time of presentation or during local treatment, were reviewed.
The cumulative survival rates and 1-year survival rates were compared. Results. Eleven patients had a small focus of anaplastic carcinoma in a differentiated carcinoma,
and 29 patients had ordinary anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. Surgical debulking was
performed in 26 patients. Radiotherapy was used for 31 patients and chemotherapy for
19 patients. The 1-year survival rates of the patients with incidental anaplastic
carcinoma, ordinary anaplastic carcinoma who underwent operations, and ordinary anaplastic
carcinoma who did not undergo operations were 73%, 60%, and 21%, respectively. A significantly
higher cumulative survival rate was observed in patients with incidental anaplastic
carcinoma than in those with ordinary anaplastic carcinoma. A significantly better
outcome was obtained by surgical debulking of ordinary anaplastic carcinoma. Conclusions. Patients with incidental anaplastic carcinoma tended to have a good outcome, but
some had a poor prognosis. Surgical debulking improved the outcome of patients with
ordinary anaplastic carcinoma. (Surgery 2002;131:245-8.)
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
September 1,
2001
Footnotes
*Reprint requests: Kiminori Sugino, MD, Surgical Division, Ito Hospital, 4-3-6 Jingumae Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-8308, Japan.
Identification
Copyright
© 2002 Mosby, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
