OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical features of familial papillary thyroid carcinoma (FPTC) and the criteria for its diagnosis and surgical treatment.

METHODSOne hundred and forty-five patients with PTC were investigated randomly between January 1999 and November 2001, and 17 of them were from 7 families. Of the 17 patients, 14 were operated on at this hospital, and 3 were operated elsewhere. The specimens from the 17 patients were confirmed pathologically. They accounted for 9.3% (14/145) of all PTC patients.

RESULTSThe patients were aged from 30 to 74 years (mean 45 years). The diameter of original focuses ranged from 0.8 to 2.8 cm (mean diameter 1.7 cm). Of the 17 patients with PTC, 8 (47.5%) had bilateral carcinoma. In 3 families, 3 patients suffered from PTC (42.8%). In 4 families, other members suffered from benign thyroid tumor or non-tumorous thyroid disease. Among the 17 patients, 10 had nodular goiters. Thyroidectomy, unilateral thyroidectomy plus isthmusectomy, and combined radical operation were performed in 8, 9, 14 patients, respectively. Early metastatic spread to local regional lymph nodes was noted in 14 patients (82.3% or 14/17).

CONCLUSIONSIn this study, a FPTC rate of 10% was found. Almost 50% of FPTC patients had bilateral carcinoma. The frequency of metastatic spread to local-regional lymph nodes was high. Follow-up survey of family members should be performed in a long period of time.