Study note

Staging and surgical treatment of medullary thyroid carcinoma

THE CONTEXT

Treatment planning for medullary thyroid carcinoma depends on staging and whether disease is confined to the thyroid or involves lymph nodes.

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The neck and chest should be staged when medullary carcinoma is diagnosed.

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For disease confined to the thyroid, total thyroidectomy is recommended to remove all C cells, together with elective central neck node dissection.

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When nodal metastases are present, gross disease should be excised while considering operative morbidity.

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These patients are highly likely to develop recurrent disease, so a pragmatic surgical approach is recommended.

NEETx

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