una neoplasia maligna cutánea poco habitual que suele presentarse en individuos de raza blanca y edad avanzada habitualmente como una lesión nodular eritematosa de rápido crecimiento, localizada en la región de la cabeza y cuello, principalmente en la región periorbitaria. Su curso clínico es a menudo agresivo, con un elevado índice de recurrencias locales, diseminación linfática regional y metástasis sistémicas. El manejo de este tumor es controversial. En la mayoría de los casos está indicada la resección quirúrgica seguida de radioterapia. No hay evidencia suficiente que la quimioterapia convencional adyuvante mejore la sobrevida y habitualmente se asocia con pobres resultados. La tasa de mortalidad relacionada con el tumor a 5 años puede alcanzar hasta un 65%.

Retrospective review of pediatric patients with thyroid cancerBackground: In childhood, thyroid cancer is uncommon and has a different biological behavior than in adults. Aim: To analyze the surgical experience in thyroid cancer in children. Material and Methods: Review of medical records of patients aged 15 years or less with a thyroid cancer, operated in a Regional hospital between 1980 and 2007. Results: Six females and 2 males, aged 9 to 15 years, were operated in the study period. Five had a family history of thyroid diseases. Four had involvement of cervical lymph nodes at the moment of operation but none had systemic dissemination. All were euthyroid. A total thyroidectomy was performed in four patients. Cervical lymph node dissection was also performed in four patients. No immediate complications were recorded. One patient had a local relapse. Five patients were also treated with radioiodine. At the end of the follow up ranging from 108 to 320 months, all patients are asymptomatic. The pathological study disclosed a papillary carcinoma in seven and medullary carcinoma in one patient. Conclusions: Thyroid cancer in childhood has low mortality rates and surgical treatment is safe and effective.