Thyroid Nodules in Children Pose Greater Risk of Malignancy

When the American Thyroid Association (ATA) holds its 80th Annual Meeting September 23-27, 2009 at The Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, Florida, Andrew Bauer, MD, of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, will discuss thyroid nodules in pediatric patients and the elevated risk for malignancy in that group.

“While the frequency for thyroid nodules in children is much lower than for adults, the rates of malignancy for thyroid nodules in children may be up to four times the malignancy risk experienced by adults with thyroid nodules,” explains Dr. Bauer. “The diagnostic approach is the same for pediatric patients and adults, but nodules are developing in a different physiological background, in a growing patient.”

According to Dr. Bauer, who presents his data Friday September 25 at 9 am, the consequences of accuracy of diagnosis and treatment for quality of life for children with thyroid cancer are emphasized because of the longer life expected for children.

“We have an obligation to improve our accuracy for selecting which patients should undergo surgery,” emphasizes Dr. Bauer. “We also need multi-center studies to better determine appropriate evaluation and follow-up for pediatric thyroid nodules.”

The American Thyroid Association (ATA) is the lead organization in promoting thyroid health and understanding thyroid biology. The ATA values scientific inquiry, clinical excellence, public service, education, collaboration, and collegiality.

A non-profit medical society founded in 1923, the ATA fulfills its mission through supporting excellence and innovation in research, clinical care, education, and public health. ATA members are physicians and scientists who work to enhance the understanding of thyroid physiology and pathophysiology, improve the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid diseases, and promote the education of physicians, patients, and the public about thyroid disorders. The official journal “Thyroid” of the ATA is published monthly. “Clinical Thyroidology” is published online monthly for the benefit of clinicians and scientists around the world.

Thyroid diseases are among the most common disorders of the endocrine system, affecting almost 13 million Americans alone. The ATA has extensive online information for patients on thyroid disease (in English and Spanish) serving the clinician as a resource for patients and the public who look for reliable information on the internet. To further benefit patients, the ATA publishes an online journal “Clinical Thyroidology for Patients.” The Alliance for Patient Education was formed in 2002 to offer an exchange of information between the ATA and patient education groups: ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc.; the Light of Life Foundation, and the Graves’ Disease Foundation. A public forum is held each year in conjunction with the ATA annual meeting.

The 80th Annual Meeting of the ATA will be in Palm Beach, Florida, from September 23-27, 2009 at The Breakers Hotel. All registration and program information is available at http://www.thyroid.org. We welcome your participation.