ABSTRACT
The thyroid follicular cell can give rise to a wide variety of neoplasms, ranging from incidental papillary microcarcinoma that has no effect on life expectancy despite minimal treatment, to lethal anaplastic cancer, invariably fatal despite aggressive treatment. The majority of cases occur in young adults, but thyroid cancer can affect any age group. Although the estimated incidence has increased by 14.6 per cent over the last four decades, the estimated death rate has fallen by 21 per cent. Mortality from thyroid cancer represents less than 1 per cent of all cancer deaths and only 10 per cent of patients with thyroid cancer will die from it. Because of these low rates, morbidity caused by treatment should not exceed that caused by the disease. The management of thyroid cancer demands multidisciplinary care, including consultation with the pathologist, surgeon, oncologist, endocrinologist and nuclear physician.
