Objective:

To present our experience treating 38 patients with pediatric thyroid carcinoma.

Method:

We received 44 pediatric patients with thyroid cancer between 2008 and 2016 in a specialized cancer center. A team of two surgeons treated all patients. We reviewed patient charts, treatment, pathology report, recurrence, and mortality. Qualitative variables were analyzed using Chi-square. Quantitative variables have a 95% confidence interval.

Results:

82% (n = 31) of cases were female. Average age at diagnosis was 12 years. The most frequent symptom was a thyroid nodule (74%), and the most frequent method of diagnosis was fine needle aspiration. 11 patients (29%) had pulmonary metastasis. All patients underwent total thyroidectomy, and 33 cases (86%) also had lymph node dissection. There were 5 (13%) postoperative complications. 33 cases received radioactive iodine treatment after surgery.

Conclusions:

Pediatric thyroid cancer usually presents with multifocal disease. Female adolescents are affected more frequently than males. Differentiated thyroid cancer is the most frequent type, and it has excellent survival rates.

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