Do patients with familial nonmedullary thyroid cancer present with more aggressive disease? Implications for initial surgical treatment.

BACKGROUND: There are conflicting reports on whether familial nonmedullary thyroid cancer is more aggressive than sporadic nonmedullary thyroid cancer. Our aim was to determine if the clinical and pathologic characteristics of familial nonmedullary thyroid cancer are different than nonmedullary thyroid cancer. METHODS: We compared patients with familial nonmedullary thyroid cancer to a cohort of 53,571 nonmedullary thyroid cancer patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. RESULTS: A total of 78 patients with familial nonmedullary thyroid cancer from 31 kindreds presented at a younger age (P = .04) and had a greater rate of T1 disease (P = .019), lymph node metastasis (P = .002), and the classic variant of papillary thyroid cancer on histology (P < .001) compared with the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results cohort. Patients with ≥3 affected family members presented at a younger age (P = .04), had a lesser female-to-male ratio (P = .04), and had a greater rate of lymph node metastasis (P = .009). Compared with the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results cohort, we found a higher prevalence of lymph node metastasis in familial nonmedullary thyroid cancer index cases (P = .003) but not in those diagnosed by screening ultrasonography (P = .58). CONCLUSION: Patients with familial nonmedullary thyroid cancer present at a younger age and have a greater rate of lymph node metastasis. The treatment for familial nonmedullary thyroid cancer should be more aggressive in patients who present clinically and in those who have ≥3 first-degree relatives affected.

The current state of in-vivo pre-clinical animal models for heart valve evaluation.

For over 30 years, animal models have remained a central critical component in the pre-clinical safety evaluation of prosthetic heart valves developed for use in humans. Though many advances have been made in valve design, no ideal replacement prosthesis has yet been developed. As a result, valve manufacturers continue to address issues relating to thrombogenicity, structural integrity, fluid dynamics and calcification in their designs. Many animal models have been developed to examine these issues, including dog, pig, calf and sheep, yet no standard model has been accepted. Recently, the International Standard Organization has provided guidelines in document 5840 to address cardiovascular implants. The aim of this report is to provide a summary of the current state of pre-clinical valve evaluation in animals. Changes in ISO 5840 will be addressed that have occurred between 1998 and the present date, and the role of current available animal models. The aim also is to provide rational guidance in the selection of appropriate animal models to match the purpose of valve implantation studies.