March 2002 -- An Italian research study looked at non radiation-related thyroid cancer in 48 patients under the age of 20, over an 11 year period. 83% had papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), and 17% had follicular thyroid cancer (FTC). All of the patients had either a total or near-total removal of their thyroid gland (thyroidectomy), with dissection of the lymph nodes.

Spread of the cancer to lymph nodes was seen in 62.5% of PTC patients and 12.5% of FTC patients. 25% -- 10 patients with PTC - had lung metastases, and none in FTC. Twenty-one patients received radioiodine treatment (RAI) for metastatic cancer. After a followup period of approximately a year, 37 patients (79%) were free of disease and 10 (21%) had residual cancer.

The researchers concluded that because thyroid cancer in younger patients often spreads before it is diagnosed, total or near total thyroidectomy with lymph node dissection is always the required initial surgical treatment. The prognosis, however, is almost always quite good for long-term survival of these patients.

(Reference: “Differentiated thyroid cancer in children and adolescents,” Endocrinol Invest 2002 Jan;25(1):18-24)