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Thyroid carcinoma in North Eastern Nigeria: a review of 26 cases
Abstract
Background: Thyroid gland specimens are commonly received for examination in Nigerian histopathology laboratories. However, not enough is known yet about the histopathology patterns of thyroid carcinoma that necessitates thyroidectomy in Nigeria.
Objective: This study was aimed at classifying the histological pattern of thyroid carcinoma and determine the role of FNAC in the diagnosis.
Materials and Methods: The study was carried out in the Department of Histopathology University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital during a 15-year period between 1989 and 2004.
Result: An analysis showed that 21 (80.8%) were females and 5(19.2%) males giving a ration of 4.2:1. Their mean age was 37.8 years. Ten patients had fine needle aspiration cytology as an initial investigation, 9 of them were confirmed to be malignant. The commonest histologic type was follicular carcinoma and accounted for 14(53.8%), medullary thyroid carcinoma 6(23.1%) and papillary and anaplastic carcinomas 3 (11.5%) each. Three patients presented with metastasis to the skull.
Conclusion: Thyroid malignancies are relatively uncommon and follicular carcinoma is the commonest histological type, which is in consonance with most studies in Nigeria. Therefore, the routine use of FNAC in preoperative investigation of thyroid malignancies cannot be overemphasized. There is need to educate our populace about the use of dietary iodinized salt. This will go a long way in reducing the incidence of goiter in our environment.
Highland Medical Research Journal Vol. 4(1) 2006: 46-52
Objective: This study was aimed at classifying the histological pattern of thyroid carcinoma and determine the role of FNAC in the diagnosis.
Materials and Methods: The study was carried out in the Department of Histopathology University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital during a 15-year period between 1989 and 2004.
Result: An analysis showed that 21 (80.8%) were females and 5(19.2%) males giving a ration of 4.2:1. Their mean age was 37.8 years. Ten patients had fine needle aspiration cytology as an initial investigation, 9 of them were confirmed to be malignant. The commonest histologic type was follicular carcinoma and accounted for 14(53.8%), medullary thyroid carcinoma 6(23.1%) and papillary and anaplastic carcinomas 3 (11.5%) each. Three patients presented with metastasis to the skull.
Conclusion: Thyroid malignancies are relatively uncommon and follicular carcinoma is the commonest histological type, which is in consonance with most studies in Nigeria. Therefore, the routine use of FNAC in preoperative investigation of thyroid malignancies cannot be overemphasized. There is need to educate our populace about the use of dietary iodinized salt. This will go a long way in reducing the incidence of goiter in our environment.
Highland Medical Research Journal Vol. 4(1) 2006: 46-52
