From 1964 to 1989, bone metastases were found in 28 of 600 patients operated on for differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Bone metastasis was the presenting symptom in 15 (54%) patients, was detected from the initial symptom in 4 (14.5%) patients, and occurred subsequently in 9 (32%) patients, with an average lag time of 4.5 years after surgical treatment. Pathological pattern of the thyroid cancer was follicular in 26 (93%) patients and papillary in 2 (7%) patients. Bone metastatic involvement was multiple in 21 (75%) patients and associated with other synchronous or metachronous distant metastases in 13 (46%) patients, especially in the lung (10 patients) or the brain (3 patients). The primary treatment of thyroid carcinoma was total thyroidectomy in all 28 patients, with additional modified neck dissection in 8 patients. All 15 patients presenting with symptoms had bone metastases demonstrated by x-ray studies. Six of the bone metastases only took up radioactive iodine 6 weeks after total thyroidectomy, as did 2 of 4 bone metastases detected at initial observation and 4 of 9 metachronous bone metastases. All 12 patients with functioning bone metastases were given radioactive iodine therapy; 4 of the metastases were surgically resected. Only 2 patients with bone metastases showed a complete response after an ablative dose of I-131; none of the metastases had been demonstrated by x-ray studies. Radioactive iodine therapy cures no more than 17% of patients with bone metastases taking up radioactive iodine and 7% of all patients with bone metastases. All patients cured of bone metastases were given radioactive iodine, either alone, or combined with other treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

In the treatment of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), supplementary lymph node dissection (LND) is not well standardized. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the significance of the cervical compartments in the lymphatic spread of PTC and the impact of modified radical neck dissection (MRND) as an additional surgical procedure to thyroid resection. From 1999 to 2002, LND of the central compartment (compartment A) was performed in 39 patients. Among this group, additional MRND of the ipsilateral compartment (compartment B) and the contralateral compartment (compartment C) was performed in 29 and 15 patients respectively, who met the selection criteria. The mean number of nodes resected was 11 (5-22) in compartment A, 23 (8-37) in compartment B, and 22 (10-31) in compartment C. Histopathologic findings revealed node invasion of compartment A in 25 patients (64.1%), of A and B in 20 patients (51,2%) and of A, B, and C in 13 patients (33.3%). From the 25 patients with metastases in compartment A, 80% (20 patients) already had metastases in compartment B and 52% (13 patients) had metastases in all three compartments. All patients free of metastasis (M0) in compartment A were also metastasis free in both lateral compartments. Postoperative whole-body scanning I(131) in M0 patients showed no uptake at all. Mapping of the cervical anatomy in compartments seems to be a useful taxonomy for clarifying the lymphatic spread of PTC. Patients having PTC without metastasis in compartment A are almost certainly disease free at the time of operation. Lymph node metastasis in the central compartment appears to be a valuable indicator of lymphatic invasion of the lateral compartment and a strong indication for performance of a unilateral or bilateral MRND to complete the surgical removal of tumor.

In this surgical series of 100 pheochromocytomas (PH), where 91 cases were studied and followed up, the frequency of malignancy appears high (29%) on macroscopic criteria observed at the first operation (25 out 26 cases of malignant PH) or thanks to the occurrence of metastases (1 case out of 26 malignant PH). While some clinical signs are suggestive, there is no excretory profile predictive of malignancy. Isolated or predominant secretion of dopamine is not specific of malignancy event if it occurs more frequently and severely in malignant PH. Bilateral involvement, occurring in the setting of phacomatosis or of multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN II), or in a sporadic case, is not a predictor for malignancy. Contrarily, extraadrenal involvement is a major feature indicative of malignancy. A CT scan which demonstrates possible locoregional invasion, and a MIGB scan revealing distant localizations raise the suspicion of malignancy. The preferred surgical approach is via a laparotomy, thus allowing the exploration of all possible abdominal chromaffin site and the search for intraabdominal metastases. Intraoperative MIBG scanning checks the completeness of the excision. Flow cytometric DNA ploidy studies have been performed in 25 of our patients. The follow up of benign or malignant PH, after excision "for cure" must be life-long: clinically, biologically and by MIGB scan. Persistence of the disease after surgery or recurrence with unresectable metastases can benefit from MIGB and chemotherapy.

Fig. 1 was inadvertently and unintentionally referenced. This figure was modified from the manuscript entitled ''Mediastinal Metastasis of Differentiated

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