Controversies in familial thyroid cancer 2014

Thyroid cancer is the sixth most common cancer in women, and the majority of patients with thyroid cancer has sporadic disease. However, about 25% of patients with medullary thyroid cancer and 5% with papillary thyroid cancer have familial tumors. Currently, there are numerous controversies regarding the mode of inheritance, tumor behavior, extent of surgical resection for optimal results, coexisting thyroid pathology, risk of other cancers, and extent of postoperative treatment of patients with familial thyroid cancer. This review aimed to give insight to surgeons on this interesting topic.