Surgical and Clinical Strategies in the Management of Thyroid Medullary Carcinoma in Children with and without Ret Protooncogene Mutations

Abstract

Boybeyi-Turer O, Vuralli D, Karnak I, Gonc N, Yalcin ES, Orhan D, Kandemir N, Tanyel FC. Surgical and clinical strategies in the management of thyroid medullary carcinoma in children with and without ret proto-oncogene mutations. Turk J Pediatr 2016; 58: 436-441. Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) may arise sporadically or in familial manner. We presented sporadic and familial cases with MTC in order to raise awareness on management of such patients. Three medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) cases were presented. Case 1 had RET634 mutation; managed with total thyroidectomy (TT) and cervical lymph node dissection (CLND). Case 2 had RET804 mutation; managed with prophylactic TT. Case 3 had thyroid nodule; managed with TT and CLND. Case 1 had micro-carcinomatosis foci, Case 2 had normal thyroid tissue in histopathological examination and Case 3 had medullary thyroid carcinoma with tumor negative surgical borders. Case 1 was re-operated for persisting focus of disease. Follow-up of cases were uneventful. Clinicians and surgeons should be aware of critical timing for surgery and various surgical and clinical strategies in the management of MTC in children.