The international approach of pediatric thyroid nodules and thyroid differentiated carcinoma. The starting point for the Romanian pediatric guideline

Abstract

Background. The incidence of pediatric differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) is increasing even though that this is a rare disease. It is known that there are important differences between adults and children especially in clinical presentation and genetic alterations. The only guideline for the diagnostic and therapeutic approach for the children with thyroid nodules and differentiated thyroid carcinoma is the American Thyroid Association (ATA) guideline published in 2015, but there could be improvements that we need to highlight in order to reduce the apparition of comorbidities and to improve the quality of life. There is also no national guideline in Romania for the treatment of this pathology in children. Materials and methods. This study is a review of the literature published in the last 5 years concerning the diagnostic and treatment of the pediatric thyroid cancer. Results. The management of the children with the suspicion of thyroid nodule should be done in specialized centers in a specialized, multidisciplinary team, with high volume surgeons. The diagnostic approach should include genetic testing. The surgical management could be less radical in certain cases. The pre-surgical evaluation and intraoperative laryngeal nerve monitoring should reduce the apparition of comorbidities. Conclusion. A European and also a national guideline for the management of pediatric thyroid nodules and thyroid carcinoma is mandatory to reduce the apparition of comorbidities and to improve the quality of life of the patients.