Multinodular Goiter as a risk factor of Thyroid Carcinoma at Mosul city

Abstract

Thyroid carcinoma (TC) is a relatively rare tumour, but it represents the most frequent form of cancer of the endocrine glands. Epidemiologically ascertained risk factors are ionizing radiation, the presence of thyroid adenoma, multinodular goiter (MNG) and family history of thyroid cancer, and personal history of goiter or thyroid nodule. We conducted the study to ascertain multinodularity of goiter should no longer be considered an indicator of probable benign disease. A cases series study was performed on patients operated of MNG at the Unit of surgery in AL jumhoory Teaching Hospital, AL Salam Teaching Hospital and at AL Zahrawy private Hospital (Mosul) from 1st May 2007 to1st June 2011. The results of this study, demonstrate that in 18.3 % of the patients operated for MNG, the presence of a carcinoma was noticed in the definitive histopathological examination. Such incidence percentage of MNG is in accordance with the data reported in published reports. Thus, the authors conclude that the risk of malignancy in MNG has not to be underestimated (chi square test not significant at p value < 0.05), and that a dominant nodule in MNG should be valued as if it were a solitary nodule in an otherwise normal gland.