Application and Match Rates in the Complex General Surgical Oncology Match.

BACKGROUND: The Society of Surgical Oncology collaborates with the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) to facilitate the Complex General Surgical Oncology (CGSO) Match. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to understand trends in CGSO Match outcomes. We hypothesized that (1) match rates would increase with time; (2) US allopathic graduates would have higher match rates than non-US allopathic graduates; and (3) most applicants would match at one of their top three ranked choices. METHODS: The NRMP provided applicant and program data from the CGSO Match (2014-2021). Chi-square tests elucidated temporal trends and match rates by applicant archetype. RESULTS: The annual number of applicants decreased from 103 to 90 (13% decrease), while the annual number of fellowship positions increased from 56 to 67 (20% increase) from 2014-2021. The annual percentage of applicants who did not match decreased from 46% to 26% (p < 0.05). Annual match rates increased from 54% to 74% (p < 0.05). US allopathic graduates had higher match rates than non-US allopathic graduates but this disparity narrowed over time (84% vs. 55% in 2021; p < 0.001). Approximately half of all applicants matched at one of their top three choices (first, 29%; second, 12%; third, 8%). Applicants matching at one of their top three choices increased from 36% to 50% (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: CGSO Match rates have increased over the past decade, thus primarily benefiting non-US allopathic graduates. Most applicants match at one of their top three choices. More research is needed to understand disparities in match rates by applicant and residency program characteristics.

Autoimmune Thyroiditis and Risk of Malignancy in Children with Thyroid Nodules.

Background: It is uncertain whether the presence of autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT) increases the risk of thyroid cancer in children with thyroid nodules. This study evaluated the association between AIT and thyroid cancer in pediatric patients with thyroid nodules. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed of pediatric patients (<19 years old) with a thyroid nodule (≥1 cm) who underwent fine-needle aspiration in an academic pediatric thyroid center. AIT was defined by the presence of thyroid autoantibodies or diffusely heterogeneous sonographic echotexture. The primary outcome was diagnosis of thyroid cancer. The association of AIT with thyroid cancer was evaluated with univariable and multivariable logistic regression. Associations of AIT with subject and nodule characteristics were also assessed. Results: Four hundred fifty-eight thyroid nodules in 385 patients (81% female) were evaluated at a median age of 15.5 years (interquartile range 13.5-17.0). Thyroid cancer was present in 108 nodules (24%). AIT was present in 95 subjects (25%) and was independently associated with an increased risk of thyroid cancer (multivariable odds ratio [OR] 2.19, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.32-3.62). Thyroid cancer was also independently associated with younger age, nodule size, and solitary nodules, but was not associated with serum thyrotropin concentration. AIT was not associated with the likelihood of subjects undergoing thyroid surgery (p = 0.17). AIT was less commonly associated with follicular thyroid carcinoma than with papillary thyroid carcinoma (OR 0.22, CI 0.05-1.06). Among papillary thyroid carcinomas, AIT was strongly associated with the diffuse sclerosing variant (OR 4.74, CI 1.33-16.9). AIT was not associated with the extent of local, regional, or distant disease at thyroid cancer diagnosis. Conclusions: AIT is independently associated with an increased risk of thyroid cancer in children with thyroid nodules. These findings suggest that the evaluation of thyroid autoantibodies and thyroid echotexture may inform thyroid cancer risk assessment and surgical decision-making in children with thyroid nodules.

Thyroid Nodules in Children With Familial Adenomatous Polyposis.

INTRODUCTION: Ultrasound screening for thyroid cancer is recommended in familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). This study investigated the prevalence of thyroid neoplasia in children with FAP. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of children with FAP at an academic hospital. Clinical and ultrasound data were analyzed for the prevalence of thyroid nodules and cancer. RESULTS: Of 37 children with FAP, 8 (22%) had thyroid nodules and 2 (5%) had thyroid cancer. Nodules (30%) and cancer (9%) were more common among female subjects and rare among male subjects. DISCUSSION: Thyroid ultrasound screening in adolescence may benefit female subjects with FAP but has limited utility in male subjects.

Subtype of atypia on cytology and risk of malignancy in pediatric thyroid nodules.

BACKGROUND: Thyroid nodules with atypia of undetermined significance (AUS) are challenging to manage because of their intermediate risk of malignancy. Subclassification of atypia can refine malignancy risk in adult AUS nodules but has not been evaluated in children. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of pediatric patients (<19 years old) who underwent fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of a thyroid nodule with resulting AUS cytology. Atypia was subclassified as nuclear only, architectural only, nuclear and architectural, or oncocytic. The primary outcome was the association between atypia subtype and malignancy. A secondary outcome was the association of atypia subtype with repeat FNA cytology. RESULTS: Sixty-eight AUS nodules in 61 patients were analyzed. The median age at FNA was 16.2 years (range, 9.8-18.9 years). Twenty-four nodules (35%) were malignant. Nuclear atypia only was present in 17 nodules (25%), architectural atypia only was present in 27 nodules (40%), nuclear and architectural atypia was present in 20 nodules (29%), and predominantly oncocytic features were present in 4 nodules (6%). The presence of nuclear atypia was associated with a significantly increased rate of malignancy (22 of 37 [59%] vs 2 of 31 [6.5%]; P < .001), whereas architectural atypia was not associated with malignancy (P = .8). Repeat FNA was performed in 42 of 68 nodules (62%). In nodules with initial nuclear and architectural atypia, benign repeat cytology had a high false-negative rate (3 of 6; 50%). CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric AUS nodules with nuclear atypia have a high rate of malignancy, but architectural atypia is not associated with malignancy. In nodules with nuclear atypia, repeat FNA may inform clinical decisions regarding the need for resection. In the absence of suspicious clinical features, nodules without nuclear atypia might be considered for observation rather than resection or repeat FNA.

Predictors of Bilateral Disease in Pediatric Differentiated Thyroid Cancer.

CONTEXT: Total thyroidectomy is recommended for children with papillary thyroid carcinoma, partly because of a high prevalence of bilateral disease. Identifying characteristics that predict bilateral disease might identify candidates for more limited surgery. OBJECTIVE: Investigate associations of preoperative or histopathological characteristics with bilateral disease in children with differentiated thyroid cancer. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study (1998-2020) at 2 academic hospitals. Patients <19 years who underwent total thyroidectomy for differentiated thyroid cancer were included. Clinical, sonographic, and histopathological characteristics were evaluated. The presence of bilateral disease on histopathology was assessed by univariable analysis and multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: One hundred and fifteen subjects were analyzed (90% with papillary carcinoma). Median (range) age at diagnosis was 15.0 (8.1-18.9) years. Bilateral disease was present in 47/115 subjects (41%). Bilateral disease was associated with solid parenchyma, calcifications, irregular margins, and abnormal lymph nodes detected by ultrasound, Bethesda class V/VI cytology, papillary histology, tumor multifocality in the primary lobe, extrathyroidal extension, lymphovascular invasion, and nodal metastases. In multivariable analysis, only multifocality in the primary lobe was independently associated with bilateral disease (OR 7.61, 95% CI 2.44-23.8, P < .001). Among clinically node-negative subjects with papillary carcinoma who did not have tumor multifocality in the primary lobe, bilateral disease was present in 5/32 (16%). CONCLUSIONS: In children with differentiated thyroid cancer, tumor multifocality in the primary lobe is associated with bilateral disease and should prompt consideration of completion thyroidectomy after initial lobectomy. Clinically node-negative children with tumors that are unifocal in the primary lobe have a low likelihood of contralateral disease.

Clinical utility of sonographic features in indeterminate pediatric thyroid nodules.

OBJECTIVE: Surgical resection is recommended for cytologically indeterminate pediatric thyroid nodules due to their intermediate malignancy risk. We evaluated the utility of ultrasound characteristics for refining malignancy risk to inform the management of these nodules. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study (2004-2019). METHODS: We analyzed consecutive thyroid nodules with indeterminate fine-needle aspiration cytology (Bethesda category III, IV, or V) in pediatric patients (<19 years). We assessed the association of demographic and sonographic characteristics with malignancy risk among all indeterminate nodules and within each Bethesda category. RESULTS: Eighty-seven cytologically indeterminate nodules were identified in 78 patients. Bethesda category was III in 56 nodules (64%), IV in 12 (14%), and V in 19 (22%). The malignancy rate was 46/87 (53%) overall, and 23/56 (41%), 8/12 (75%), and 15/19 (79%) in Bethesda III, IV, and V nodules, respectively. Malignancy rate was higher in solitary nodules (67% vs 37%, P = 0.004) and nodules with irregular margins (100% vs 44%, P < 0.001) or calcifications (82% vs 43%, P = 0.002). American College of Radiology Thyroid Imaging, Reporting and Data System (ACR TI-RADS) risk level TR5 was associated with a higher rate of malignancy than lower TI-RADS risk levels (80% vs 42%, P = 0.002). Within individual Bethesda categories, TI-RADS risk level was not associated with malignancy. No sonographic feature had a negative predictive value for malignancy greater than 80%. CONCLUSIONS: In pediatric thyroid nodules with indeterminate cytology, some sonographic features - including higher ACR TI-RADS risk level - are associated with malignancy, but these associations are unlikely to alter clinical management in most cases.

Natural History of Thyroid Disease in Children with PTEN Hamartoma Tumor Syndrome.

CONTEXT: Thyroid ultrasound screening is recommended in children with PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome (PHTS) due to increased risk of thyroid neoplasia, but the natural history of thyroid disease in children with PHTS is unclear. OBJECTIVE: Determine the prevalence and natural history of thyroid disease in children with PHTS. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study (1998-2019) in an academic pediatric hospital of individuals with genetically confirmed PHTS diagnosed before age 19 years. Clinical, thyroid ultrasound, and laboratory characteristics are described. Primary outcomes were the prevalence of thyroid nodules ≥10 mm diameter and time course and risk factors for nodule development assessed by Cox regression analysis. Secondary outcomes included thyroid nodule requiring biopsy, other ultrasound findings, and prevalence of autoimmune thyroid disease. RESULTS: Among 64 subjects with PHTS, 50 underwent thyroid ultrasound. A thyroid nodule ≥10 mm was diagnosed in 22/50 (44%) subjects at median (range) age 13.3 (7.0-22.9) years. Nodules were diagnosed earlier in females than in males (10.8 [7.0-17.9] vs 14.2 [9.9-22.9] years, P = .009). In multivariate analysis, risk of thyroid nodules was significantly associated with female sex (hazard ratio 2.90, 95% CI 1.16-7.27, P = .02) and inversely associated with the presence of neurologic findings of PHTS (HR 0.27, 95% CI 0.10-0.69, P = .007). Abnormal-appearing lymph nodes with echogenic foci were observed by ultrasound in 20% of subjects, but these were not associated with malignancy. Autoimmune thyroid disease was present in 10/33 (30.3%) of subjects in whom it was assessed. CONCLUSION: Thyroid disease is common in children with PHTS. This study supports current consensus recommendations for ultrasound screening.

Assessment of American College of Radiology Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (TI-RADS) for Pediatric Thyroid Nodules.

Background The American College of Radiology (ACR) Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (TI-RADS) is a recognized tool for management of thyroid nodules in adults but has not been validated in pediatric patients. Purpose To assess the performance of the ACR TI-RADS criteria for guiding decisions on whether to biopsy thyroid nodules in pediatric patients in a single referral center. Materials and Methods In this retrospective study, a database of thyroid nodules in patients younger than 19 years who underwent fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy between January 2004 and July 2017 was analyzed. ACR TI-RADS criteria were applied to each nodule, and an ACR TI-RADS score was created to determine how the nodule would be managed. The number of nodules that would be biopsied with FNA on the basis of ACR TI-RADS was compared with the total number of nodules biopsied with FNA in this clinic to determine if the use of ACR TI-RADS would have changed the rate of FNA (eg, decreased the number of procedures) and whether that change would have affected the timely diagnosis of cancer. Results A total of 314 patients (mean age, 14.9 years; age range, 2-18 years; 28 prepubertal patients; 286 postpubertal patients; 260 female patients) were evaluated. In these 314 patients, 404 thyroid nodules were scored, of which 19.1% (77 of 404) were malignant. Most cancers were papillary carcinoma (68 [88.3%] of 77). The use of ACR TI-RADS criteria for management of nodules in this pediatric study sample would have resulted in 17 (22.1%) of 77 cancers being missed at the patient's initial visit. Conclusion Use of the current American College of Radiology Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System criteria for management of pediatric thyroid nodules is inadequate because a high percentage of cancers would be missed at the initial encounter. © RSNA, 2019.

Differences in Thyroid Nodule Cytology and Malignancy Risk Between Children and Adults.

Background: The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology (BSRTC) is used to interpret fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology of thyroid nodules in children and adults. Nodule management is guided by the implied malignancy risk of each cytological category, which has been derived from adult populations. Whether these implied risks are applicable to pediatric thyroid nodules remains uncertain. We compared malignancy rates between pediatric and adult thyroid nodules within each cytological category. Methods: We evaluated consecutive thyroid nodules ≥1 cm that underwent FNA at the Boston Children's Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital from 1998 to 2016. All cytology was interpreted by a single cytopathology group according to the BSRTC. Malignancy rates were compared between pediatric (<19 years) and adult (≥19 years) patients. Results: Four hundred thirty pediatric thyroid nodules and 13,415 adult nodules were analyzed. Pediatric nodules were more likely to be malignant than adult nodules (19% vs. 12%, p = 0.0002). Within cytological categories, malignancy rates were higher in pediatric nodules than in adult nodules that were cytologically nondiagnostic (11% vs. 4%, p = 0.03), atypia of undetermined significance (AUS; 44% vs. 22%, p = 0.004), or suspicious for follicular neoplasm (SFN; 71% vs. 28%, p = 0.001). There were no significant differences between children and adults in the types of thyroid cancers diagnosed in these cytological categories. Among cytologically benign nodules, the difference in malignancy rates was statistically significant but clinically minimal (0.7% vs. 1%, p = 0.001). Malignancy rates did not differ between children and adults among nodules with cytology suspicious for papillary carcinoma (73% vs. 68%, p = 0.67) or positive for malignancy (97% vs. 95%, p = 1). Among the subset of nodules that were resected, the malignancy rate was higher in children than in adults only in nodules that were SFN (71% vs. 36%, p = 0.007). Conclusions: Among thyroid nodules that are cytologically AUS, SFN, or nondiagnostic, malignancy rates are higher in children than in adults. These discrepancies likely represent true differences in malignancy risk between pediatric and adult patients, rather than differences in cytological interpretation. Our findings provide pediatric-specific data to inform the optimal management of thyroid nodules in children, which may differ from that of adult nodules with equivalent cytology.

Natural History and Outcomes of Cytologically Benign Thyroid Nodules in Children.

Context: Most pediatric thyroid nodules are cytologically benign, but few data exist to guide treatment. Objective: To describe the natural history and outcomes of cytologically benign, pediatric thyroid nodules. Design: Cohort study. Setting: Multidisciplinary thyroid clinic at an academic medical center. Patients: Consecutive pediatric patients (≤18 years old) with cytologically benign thyroid nodules evaluated between 1998 and 2016. Results: Cytologically benign nodules (N = 237) in 181 patients were followed by ultrasound (median follow-up, 3.4 years; range, 0.5 to 13.9 years) or to resection. Thyroid cancer was diagnosed in six nodules (2.5%), and all six patients were disease free after median follow-up of 4.9 years. Malignancy was more common in nodules >4 cm (15.4%; P = 0.037) or that grew during follow-up (6.0%; P = 0.048). The likelihood of nodule growth (±SE) was 15% ± 3%, 24% ± 4%, and 49% ± 10% at 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively. Among nodules >2 cm, those with ≥25% cystic content grew more slowly than nodules <25% cystic; nodules <2 cm grew similarly regardless of cystic content. Conclusion: Benign cytology in pediatric thyroid nodules has a low false-negative rate similar to that in adults, and prognosis is excellent in the rare cases of malignancy. Resection of nodules >4 cm, combined with surveillance of smaller nodules and repeated aspiration for growth, detects most false-negative results. Follow-up ultrasound in 12 months is appropriate for most cytologically benign pediatric nodules, but delaying surveillance up to 24 months may be reasonable in large, predominantly cystic nodules.

Thyroid Nodules in Pediatric Patients: Sonographic Characteristics and Likelihood of Cancer.

Purpose To determine the relationship between demographic and sonographic characteristics of thyroid nodules and malignancy in a pediatric population. Materials and Methods All thyroid nodules in patients younger than 19 years that underwent ultrasound (US)-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy between January 2004 and July 2017 were retrospectively identified. Age, sex, and background appearance of the thyroid gland were recorded for each patient, and sonographic characteristics and pathologic diagnosis were recorded for each nodule. Demographic and sonographic characteristics were assessed to determine which were associated with malignancy. Categorical and continuous variables and interobserver variability were assessed. Results A total of 404 nodules in 314 patients (82.8% female) (age range, 2-18 years; mean age, 14.9 years) were analyzed. A total of 77 nodules (19.1%) were malignant, the majority of which were papillary thyroid carcinoma (n = 68 [88.3%]). The likelihood of malignancy did not differ between boys and girls (27.8% vs 22.7%, P = .64), nor did it differ between prepubertal and pubertal patients (18.8% vs 19.1%, P > .99). The cancer rate in patients with a solitary nodule was higher than that in patients with multiple nodules (29.4% vs 14.2%, P = .003). Sonographic characteristics associated with malignant nodules included larger size, solid parenchyma, taller-than-wide shape, presence of speckled calcifications, lack of a smooth margin, and presence of abnormal lymph nodes. Interobserver variability for assessment of sonographic characteristics ranged from moderate to very strong. Conclusion In children with thyroid nodules, solitary nodules, larger nodule size, solid parenchyma, taller-than-wide shape, speckled calcifications, irregular margins, and abnormal lymph nodes raise concern for malignancy.

Novel germline mutation (Leu512Met) in the thyrotropin receptor gene (TSHR) leading to sporadic non-autoimmune hyperthyroidism.

BACKGROUND: Primary nonautoimmune hyperthyroidism is a rare cause of neonatal hyperthyroidism. This results from an activating mutation in the thyrotropin-receptor (TSHR). It can be inherited in an autosomal dominant manner or occur sporadically as a de novo mutation. Affected individuals display a wide phenotype from severe neonatal to mild subclinical hyperthyroidism. We describe a 6-month-old boy with a de novo mutation in the TSHR gene who presented with accelerated growth, enlarging head circumference, tremor and thyrotoxicosis. METHODS: Genomic DNA from the patient's and parents' peripheral blood leukocytes was extracted. Exons 9 and 10 of the TSHR gene were amplified by PCR and sequenced. RESULTS: Sequencing exon 10 of the TSHR gene revealed a novel heterozygous missense mutation substituting cytosine to adenine at nucleotide position 1534 in the patient's peripheral blood leukocytes. This leads to a substitution of leucine to methionine at amino acid position 512. The mutation was absent in the parents. In silico modeling by PolyPhen-2 and SIFT predicted the mutation to be deleterious. CONCLUSIONS: The p.Leu512Met mutation (c.1534C>A) of the TSHR gene has not been previously described in germline or somatic mutations. This case presentation highlights the possibility of mild thyrotoxicosis in affected individuals and contributes to the understanding of sporadic non-autoimmune primary hyperthyroidism.

Features and Outcome of Autonomous Thyroid Nodules in Children: 31 Consecutive Patients Seen at a Single Center.

CONTEXT: Most thyroid nodules are benign and their accurate identification can avoid unnecessary procedures. In adult patients, documentation of nodule autonomy is accepted as reassurance of benign histology and as justification to forgo biopsy or thyroidectomy. In contrast, the negative predictive value of nodule autonomy in children is uncertain. Some recent publications recommend surgical resection as initial management, but few address the degree of TSH suppression or the specific scintigraphic criteria used to diagnose autonomy. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to study the presenting features and cancer risk of children with autonomous nodules. DESIGN AND SETTING: Medical records of all 31 children diagnosed with autonomous nodules at our center from 2003 to 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. PATIENTS AND RESULTS: All children met full diagnostic criteria for autonomous nodules, defined by both autonomous 123I uptake into the nodule and the suppression of uptake in the normal thyroid parenchyma on scintigraphy performed during hypothyrotropinemia. The median age of presentation was 15 years (range 3-18 y) with a female to male ratio of 15:1. Fifty-eight percent of patients had solitary nodules and 42% had multiple nodules. The median size of each patient's largest autonomous nodule was 39 mm (range 18-67 mm). Most of the children in this series (68%) had diagnostic biopsies and/or operative pathology of their largest autonomous nodule, which showed benign cytology or histology in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: In this pediatric series, the cancer rate observed in biopsied or resected autonomous nodules was 0%. Whereas larger studies are needed to confirm our findings, these results agree with earlier reports suggesting that thyroid cancer is rare in rigorously defined autonomous nodules and support that conservative management may be offered to selected children who meet strict diagnostic criteria for autonomous nodules, deferring definitive therapies until adulthood when the risks of thyroidectomy and 131I ablation are lower.

Pediatric Graves' disease: decisions regarding therapy.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Graves' disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism in the pediatric population. It occurs more often in adolescence and in girls; however, prepubertal children tend to have more severe disease, require longer medical therapy, and have a lower rate of remission as compared with pubertal children. The choice of which of the three therapeutic options to use (medical therapy, radioactive iodine ablation, or surgery) must be individualized. This update will focus on the current diagnostic and treatment modalities available, as well as address the controversy that exists with regards to permanent therapy. RECENT FINDINGS: The diagnosis of Graves' disease is often made clinically. With the development of second-generation and third-generation thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor antibody assays, it can be more reliably confirmed. An improved understanding of the underlying autoimmune process and genetics is underway; however, remission rates in children and adolescents remain low. Because of its ease of administration and long-term follow-up, there is a trend towards permanent therapy with radioactive iodine ablation when remission cannot be achieved with medical therapy. SUMMARY: New genes and susceptibility loci have been identified with the hope of better understanding the refractory nature of Graves' disease. Despite the low rates of remission, permanent therapy with radioactive iodine remains a good option.

How are childhood thyroid nodules discovered: opportunities for improving early detection.

In a retrospective analysis of childhood thyroid nodules, 18% were radiographic incidentalomas and 41% were discovered by a clinician's palpation; 40% were discovered by patients' families. The latter group had the largest nodules and highest rates of thyroid cancer metastasis, suggesting opportunities for earlier detection through annual well-child visits.

A standardized assessment of thyroid nodules in children confirms higher cancer prevalence than in adults.

CONTEXT: Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy, but due to its rare occurrence in the pediatric population, the cancer risk of childhood thyroid nodules is incompletely defined, and optimal management of children with suspected nodules is debated. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to study the presenting features and cancer risk of sporadic childhood thyroid nodules using a standardized clinical assessment and management plan. DESIGN AND SETTING: Boston Children's Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital collaborated to create a multidisciplinary pediatric thyroid nodule clinic and implement a standardized assessment plan. Upon referral for a suspected nodule, serum TSH was measured and hypothyrotropinemic patients underwent (123)I scintigraphy. All others underwent thyroid ultrasonography, and if this confirmed nodule(s) ≥ 1 cm, ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration was performed. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed and compared to a control population of 2582 adults evaluated by identical methods. PATIENTS AND RESULTS: Of 300 consecutive children referred for the initial evaluation of suspected thyroid nodules from 1997 to 2011, 17 were diagnosed with autonomous nodules by scintigraphy. Neck ultrasonography performed in the remainder revealed that biopsy was unnecessary in over half, either by documenting only sub-centimeter nodules or showing that no nodule was present. A total of 125 children met criteria for thyroid biopsy, which was performed without complication. Their rate of cancer was 22%, significantly higher than the adult rate of 14% (P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: Neck ultrasonography and biopsy were key to the evaluation of children with suspected thyroid nodules. Although the relative cancer prevalence of sonographically confirmed nodules ≥ 1 cm is higher in pediatric patients than adults, most children referred for suspected nodules have benign conditions, and efforts to avoid unnecessary surgery in this majority are warranted.

Thyroid surgery at Children's Hospital Boston: a 35-year single-institution experience.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Thyroidectomy is the primary therapy for thyroid cancer and an established treatment of hyperthyroidism. Because of the relative rarity of these conditions in childhood, few single-institution series exist in the pediatric literature. Here we analyze our institution's experience to assess patient demographics, operative risks, and the role of preoperative testing. METHODS: This is a retrospective chart review of 175 consecutive patients not older than 18 years who underwent thyroid surgery at Children's Hospital Boston from 1970 to 2004. RESULTS: The most common indication for thyroidectomy was thyroid nodules (83%), followed by hyperthyroidism (7%) and goiter (7%). For children referred for nodules, we observed a peak incidence in adolescence and a female to male ratio of 3.7:1. Cancer was found in 36%, with papillary thyroid cancer the most common subtype (85%). Operative complications were rare, with permanent hypocalcemia in 2 (4.7%) of 43 patients who underwent bilateral resection for thyroid nodules (no cases of permanent hypocalcemia in other procedures). Permanent unilateral vocal cord paralysis was documented in 2 children after the resection of malignant nodules. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric thyroidectomy can be performed with low operative risk. Because permanent hypocalcemia remains an obligate risk of bilateral thyroidectomy, we recommend the routine use of preoperative fine-needle aspiration to guide the extent of initial surgical resection, reserving near-total thyroidectomy for those cases where cytology is positive for malignancy.