The European Society of Endocrine Surgeons perspective of thyroid cancer surgery: an evidence-based approach

Excerpt

During the last two decades, thyroid cancer surgery has dramatically changed due to the rising incidence of small papillary thyroid cancers, the identification of RET proto-oncogene mutations causing hereditary thyroid cancer, the introduction of minimally invasive procedures including scarless neck surgery, and the acknowledgement of BRAF mutation as a promising diagnostic element for presurgical diagnosis of papillary thyroid cancer. The European Society of Endocrine Surgeons (ESES) Workshop 2013 on “Thyroid Cancer Surgery” in Berlin was aimed to summarize and discuss the aforementioned recent developments concerning their conceptual consequences for the diagnosis and surgical approach to thyroid cancer. The design of the workshop was basically evidence based. The presentations of major sessions were thoroughly prepared ahead to the meeting by a group of responsible authors each. Final manuscripts published in this issue of the Langenbeck’s Archives of Surgery (1–6, 9–11) are representing the conclusion of pre-workshop electronic versions and discussions by the ESES members’ assembly throughout the sessions of the congress. …