Late Results of Treatment for Papillary Cancer of the Thyroid

Abstract

Ten of 107 patients in this series died of cancer of the thyroid, but in each case recurrence of the cancer took place within the first five years of the initial operation. The prognosis of papillary cancer of the thyroid is much worse in patients in whom the primary tumor has been cut into and implanted in the neck, also worse in patients more than 48 years of age and worse in males. Radiation therapy is not necessary except in the treatment of inoperable tumors, and should rarely be employed.