Background: Anaplastic thyroid cancer is relatively rare but extremely aggressive neoplasm. The aim of the present paper was to study the possibility of surgery for anaplastic thyroid cancer. Methods: During 5-year period (from 1998 to 2002) in the Center for endocrine surgery, we found anaplastic thyroid cancer in 65 patients (44 female and 21 male patients) of median age 63 years (range: 37-88 years). Diagnosis was determined on the basis of histological analysis in operated patients or on cytology findings in case of patients who were not operated. Histological analysis confirmed anaplastic transformation of papillary thyroid cancer in 18 cases. Results In 50% patients we performed only fine needle biopsy, and in 37% patients operative biopsy or tumor reduction. We performed radical surgery hemithyroidectomy or total thyroidectomy, in 13% patients with anaplastic thyroid cancer. Thyroid goiter was present in 35% patients longer than a year before diagnosis of anaplastic cancer was made. Conclusion: Possibility of surgery for anaplastic thyroid cancer is very limited. In about one third of patients there were longstanding goiter or histological verified dedifferentiation of papillary thyroid cancer. These patients should have been operated before anaplastic transformation.

thyroid neoplasms; carcinoma; surgery