OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical characteristics, diagnosis and therapy of thyroid carcinoma in children.

METHODSClinical data of 12 children under the age of 14 years, diagnosed as thyroid carcinoma between August 1998 and August 2008, were reviewed.

RESULTSA hard thyroid mass was observed in 10 out of 12 children with thyroid carcinoma, but only one out of 15 children with benign thyroid tumor (<0.05). The rate of cervical lymph node metastasis in children with thyroid carcinoma was significantly higher than that in children with benign thyroid tumor (<0.05). There was no significant difference in the final diagnostic rate of thyroid carcinoma between ultrasonography and CT scans (75% vs 83%; >0.05). All of 12 cases were pathologically confirmed as differentiated thyroid carcinoma, including papillary carcinoma (7 cases), follicular carcinoma (3 cases) and papillary-follicular carcinoma (2 cases). Nine patients (75%) had cervical lymph node metastasis. All patients received surgical treatment and postoperative thyroxin therapy. No patient was administered with postoperative radioiodine 131I therapy. Unilateral lobectomy plus isthmectomy along with a functional cervical lymph node dissection was a primary operation mode (83%). The follow-up period was 2 months to 10 years. The 5-and 10-year survival rates were 100%.

CONCLUSIONSChildhood thyroid carcinoma is mostly differentiated and characterized by hard thyroid mass and cervical lymph node metastasis. A combination of ultrasonography and CT is helpful to the diagnosis of childhood thyroid carcinoma. The treatment outcome may be satisfactory by optimal therapy in children with thyroid carcinoma.