Cáncer papilar de tiroides a la luz de las evidencias actuales / Papillary thyroid cancer: an update

ABSTRACT

The new screening and diagnostic tools for thyroid cancer lead to a higher prevalence of the disease. This requiresa new approach to the therapy of thyroid cancer, that usually has an indolent and slow evolution. The incidence of microcarcinoma is increasing since the vast majority of thyroid cancers are diagnosed during a screening ultrasonography. In papillary thyroid cancer there is a familial aggregation and close relatives of an index patient have three to six times more risk of having the disease. Exposure to radiation, older age and association with other thyroid diseases are external risk factors for the disease. Thyroid cancer is staged using TNM classification, that allows to establish prognosis. There is still discussion about the best treatment in early stages of the disease. Our working group always recommends total thyroidectomy and radioiodine ablation to obtain a better control and survival and reduce the risk of relapse.