Abstract
A case of thyroid cancer in a 2-year-old boy is reported, together with a review of 191 cases in Japanese literature. The patient was admitted to the hospital because of a tumor in the fore neck. Subtotal thyroidectomy with regional lymphnodes dissection was carried out under a presumpitve diagnosis of thyroid cancer with hypothyroidism. Histologically it was diagnosed as follicular carcionma of thyroid gland. No tumor has recurred for six years after the operation. In 191 patients of 15 year old or under, there were 125 female and 56 male patients. In 20 patients of 6 year old or under, there were 11 female and 9 male patients. Histologically, there were about 70% papillary and 20% follicular carcinoma. There seemed to be no distinct difference in frequency between childhood and adult thyroid cancer. Metastases to the lung occured in 20% of papillary carcinoma. Thyroid cancer in childhood is characterized by frequent metastases to the lung and lymphnode, low mortality, and the prolonged clinical course.
