Watch out for familial thyroid cancer

  Thyroid cancer is the most common malignant tumor of the human endocrine system, and its incidence has increased significantly in recent years, and now it is the fourth most common malignant tumor among women in Beijing. Non-medullary thyroid carcinoma accounts for more than 90% of all thyroid carcinomas. 5-10% of non-medullary thyroid carcinomas have family aggregation, and the incidence rate of first-degree relatives is 5-8 times higher than that of the general population. It is called familial nonmedullary thyroid carcinoma (FNMTC), suggesting that genetic factors play an important role in its development.  The main criteria for the clinical diagnosis of familial nonmedullary thyroid carcinoma (FNMTC) include: primary condition: at least two or more first-degree relatives have been diagnosed with nonmedullary thyroid carcinoma (papillary carcinoma, PTC); in addition, there is one patient with PTC and three patients with nodular goiter in all first-degree relatives or three patients with nodular goiter in the offspring.  Secondary criteria: patient younger than 33 years of age at the time of disease; definite diagnosis of multiple lesions or bilateral PTC; stage T4 lesions at the time of diagnosis; lymph node metastases or distant metastases at the time of diagnosis; multiple patients with young-onset thyroid disease in the family. The diagnosis of familial papillary thyroid carcinoma is made by fulfilling 2 main conditions or 1 main condition + 3 secondary conditions. Familial polyposis and familial multiple endocrine neoplasms must be excluded in all cases.  Current studies suggest that FNMTC is more likely to have multiple bilateral lobes, more likely to have metastases in the cervical lymph nodes, and has a significantly higher rate of postoperative recurrence than sporadic thyroid cancer, so it should be managed more aggressively. Therefore, we suggest that when there are 2 or more patients with papillary thyroid cancer in the family, both first-degree relatives and second-degree relatives should regularly check the neck carefully, and if nodules in the thyroid gland are found, timely consultation should be made, and the indication for surgery should be appropriately relaxed for timely management.