Encapsulated well-differentiated follicular-patterned thyroid carcinomas do not play a significant role in the fatality rates from thyroid carcinoma.

摘要

I enjoyed reading the article on encapsulated well-differentiated follicu-lar-patterned thyroid carcinomas by Piana et al in the June 2010 issue. If this entire group of tumors can be considered "nonthreatening," including those with definite nuclear features of papillary carcinoma or with unequivocal capsular invasion, then surely there can be little justification for a group of tumors with equivocal (lesser) features being labeled as "of uncertain malignant potential." In my experience, the use of this nebulous terminology is confusing to clinicians, and has the potential to be abused as a "wastebasket" for difficult cases. This article1 would seem to at least justify a conservative approach in which encapsulated follicular thyroid tumors without widespread and obvious PTC-type nuclear features, or clear-cut capsular invasion (perforation), are labeled benign.