Clinico-Pathological Characteristics and Long-term Outcome in Patients with Distant Metastases from Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma

Excerpt

We read with interest the paper titled “Clinico-pathological characteristics and long-term outcome in patients with distant metastases from differentiated thyroid carcinoma” by Benbassat and co-workers in the May 2006 issue of World Journal of Surgery. 1 Management of metastatic differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) is a common and challenging situation faced by endocrine surgeons. The treatment of DTC with metastasis with total/near-total thyroidectomy followed by radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy is well accepted and followed by most centres globally and is the policy followed by us as well. Unfortunately, no prospective randomised studies have been performed, and none are likely to be undertaken, to evaluate the optimal management strategies of this disease. Under the circumstances, retrospective studies such as the one under discussion form the basis of treatment of metastatic DTC and are thus important contributions to medical literature. There are, however, a few issues we would like to discuss. …