The definition and classification of thyroid nodules and tumors are briefly introduced, and the clinical criteria that prompt the evaluation of thyroid nodules are discussed, based principally on fine needle aspiration cytology, radioisotope scanning and ultrasound examinations. The principles of treatment as well as the recent progress in this field are commented.

The current situation and recent clinical progress of management of hyperthyroidism are introduced.The basic treatment for hyperthyroidism is antithyroid drugs.However,radioiodine should be administered in patients with relapse after treatment with antithyroid drugs,significantly enlarged thyroid with thyrotoxic heart disease or hepatic function impairment,or elder patients.Besides,thyromegaly,nodular goiter,or suspected malignant thyroid nodule should be managed with surgical treatment actively.It can achieve favorable results to choose the individualized treatment according to the patient's condition.

Methods and possible ways of differentiation of embryonic and adult stem cells to islet-like cells,genetic and molecular mark and driving differentiation factors of islet stem cells are introduced.Development of the use of islet stem cells in treating diabetes mellitus and the current problems are discussed.

Standardization of laboratory examination of thyroid gland reduces the occurrence of mis-and neglecting diagnosis of thyroid diseases, while standardization of management of thyroid diseases contributes to achieving ideal outcome and to avoiding side-effects and excessive treatment.

[Summary] The effects of selenium on human health and the related researchs of the impacts of selenium on thyroid were introduced at home and abroad in recent years. The selenium deficiency was correlated with incidence of subclinical and clinical hypothyroidism and autoimmune thyroiditis. Supplement of selenium can improve immune status and thyroid function in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis. There is no definitive evidence for the influence of selenium on Graves disease.

This article reviewed the research on evaluating benign and malignant thyroid nodules in recent years,and particularly focused on the oncogens and molecular markers.Their advantages and disadvantages in clinical use and application prospective were reviewed and analyzed.

The treatment of Graves's hyperthyroidism with antithyroid drugs can attain the optimal outcome due to intact thyroid tissue "after treatment. The rational choice of indication, related factors for improving the prognosis of disease and evaluation of withdrawal index of antithyroid drugs are briefly discussed in the review.

Morbidity of thyroid nodules and thyroid cancers, as well as the current aspects of the respective evaluation and management are briefly described. The existing issues in the area are analyzed and the solutions are suggested. The relative lag of standardization of diagnosis and treatment of thyroid nodules and cancers is due to the insufficient use of fine-needle aspiration biopsy of thyroid. Lack of experienced thyroid cytologists and insufficient multidisciplinary cooperation might be the main problems in the clinical practice.

By taking advantage of gene engineering,recombinant calcitonin analogue can be successfully obtained.This method can greatly improve the biological activity of the analogue of calcitonin and lower its antigenicity.In this review we discuss the recent progress in the production of recombinant human calcitonin.

Thyroid fine needle aspiration biopsy, ultrasonographically guided thyroid fine needle puncture and the common cytologic pathological characterstics of various thyroid diseases are reviewed, and the clinical application is discussed.