ANAPLASTIC CARCINOMA OF THE THYROID: EVALUATION OF POSTOPERATIVE RESULTS*

IT IS well known that there is a marked difference in the rate of growth and clinical behavior of the various histologic types of thyroid carcinoma. The largest histologic group, namely papillary carcinomas, consists of slowly growing neoplasms whose natural history is now well understood. The role of the surgeon in the treatment of this form of carcinoma is well established. Extensive local surgical procedures may be combined with dissection of cervical lymph nodes, or even with radical dissection of mediastinal lymph nodes. Additional histologic types of thyroid carcinoma, more malignant than the papillary form but of relatively slow growth, include the more or less circumscribed or encapsulated carcinoma variously called “malignant adenoma” or follicular and alveolar carcinoma. In this group, metastasis may occur by lymphatics to regional nodes or by the blood stream, particularly to bone. Hurthle-cell carcinomas, frequently encapsulated, make up a fairly well recognized histologic group, as do solid adenocarcinomas. All these have been excluded from this study.