Kiran Kumar Epari1, Indira A2, Ramalaxmi PVB3
BACKGROUND
Multinodular goitre or nodular hyperplasia or adenomatoid goitre is the most common thyroid disease, which occurs due to deficient iodine intake. Initial hyperthyroid states, followed by follicular atrophy and secondary changes like haemorrhage, calcification and cystic degeneration occurs in most of the cases. Longstanding cases of nodular goitre can be associated with carcinomas, usually follicular carcinomas, and rarely papillary carcinomas.[1] This study was done to know the incidence of coexisting malignancies, follicular and papillary carcinomas of thyroid, in longstanding nodular goitres of thyroid.
METHODS
All the cases of nodular goitres examined in the last two years were studied, including the thyroidectomy specimens and FNAC slides whichever was done. Extensive grossing of the thyroidectomy specimens was done to detect the possibility of malignancy in longstanding cases of nodular goitre of thyroid. Review of FNAC slides was done in cases where cytodiagnosis of coexisting malignancy was missed and detected in histopathological examination.
RESULTS
In the present study, conducted over a two-year period, out of 50 cases of thyroidectomy specimens of multinodular goitres studied, six cases were diagnosed to be having coexisting malignancy of thyroid, of which four were follicular carcinomas of thyroid and two were papillary carcinomas of thyroid. FNAC diagnosis of coexisting malignancy was initially missed in FNAC in two cases, i.e. one case each of follicular carcinoma and papillary carcinoma. These FNAC slides were reviewed and the foci of malignancies detected.
CONCLUSION
There is a possibility of malignancy of thyroid coexisting with longstanding multinodular goitre of thyroid, which should be kept in mind, while performing the needle biopsy and thorough examination of FNAC slides is needed to avoid missing the possible detection of the coexisting malignant lesion. Thyroidectomy specimens should be extensively grossed to detect these coexisting lesions, and review of FNAC slides should be done whenever needed for correlation with histopathological findings.
