OBJECTIVETo investigate and analyze the variation trends in the pathological composition of thyroid cancer patients treated in Tianjin Cancer Hospital from 1954 to 2009.

METHODSTo retrospectively analyze the incidence and clinical features of different pathological types of thyroid cancers in 4342 patients between different time periods from 1954 to 2009.

RESULTSIn the four main pathological types of thyroid cancers, the component ratio of papillary thyroid cancer in every period was 68.1%, 78.3%, 81.3%, 82.1%, 85.8%, respectively, while the morbidity of patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma concurrent with Hashimoto's thyroiditis was increased, so was the proportion of tumors in diameter < or = 2 cm. The proportion of follicular thyroid carcinoma and anaplastic thyroid carcinoma was decreasing accordingly; however, the proportion of medullary thyroid carcinoma did not change significantly.

CONCLUSIONSThe pathological classification of the thyroid carcinoma patients has significant changes in the 4342 cases treated in our Hospital from 1954 to 2009. The proportion of papillary carcinoma is increased, while that of follicular carcinoma and anaplastic carcinoma is decreased. The reasons might attribute to the improved level of consultations and iodized diet or other factors.