True regarding Papillary carcinoma of thyroid is: March 2008

Ans. C: Excellent prognosis Papillary carcinoma is a relatively common well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Despite its well-differentiated characteristics, papillary carcinoma may be ovely or minimally invasive. In fact, these tumors may spread easily to other organs. Papillary tumors have a propensity to invade lymphatics but are less likely to invade blood vessels. Papillary carcinoma appears as an irregular solid or cystic mass in a normal thyroid parenchyma. They are very seldom encapsulated Thyroid cancers are more often found in patients with a history of low- or high-dose external irradiation. Papillary tumors of the thyroid are the most common form of thyroid cancer to result from exposure to radiation. The life expectancy of patients with this cancer is related to their age. The prognosis is better for younger patients than for patients who are older than 45 years of patients with papillary cancers, about 11% present with metastases outside the neck and mediastinum. FNAB is considered the best first-line diagnostic procedure for a thyroid nodule; FNAB is a safe and minimally invasive procedure. Surgery is the definitive management of thyroid cancer, and various types of operations may be performed. Lobectomy with isthmectomy Subtotal thyroidectomy This is a near-total thyroidectomyPatients younger than 40 years who have papillary thyroid carcinoma nodules that are smaller than 1 cm, well-defined, minimally invasive, and isolated may be treated with hemithyroidectomy and isthmectomy Total thyroidectomy Perform a total thyroidectomy (removal of all thyroid tissue but preserving the contralateral parathyroid glands) in patients who are older than 40 years with papillary carcinoma and in any patient with bilateral disease Compared with most cancers the prognosis in differentiated thyroid carcinoma is excellent.