Pattern of Thyroid Cancer in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia: University Hospital Experience

Objectives: To review the pattern of thyroid tumor, demographic data of the patients, sensitivity, and specificity of fine needle aspiration cytology; Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent total or near-total thyroidectomy at King Fahad Hospital of the University between 1982 and 2008. Data were analyzed for demographic characteristics, type of thyroid tumors, Fine Needle Aspirations Cytology (FNAC) yields and surgical complications; Results: A total of 143 patients with thyroid tumors underwent throidectomy. Their median age was 37.5 years. Females were predominantly affected (81%) with female to male ratio of (4:29). Thyroid carcinoma accounted for (75%) while benign tumors for (25%). The most common thyroid epithelial cancer was papillary type (74%) and was limited to thyroid tissues in almost two third of cases. Non-epithelial cancer in the form of thyroid lymphoma accounted for (4.89%) of the cases. FNAC sensitivity was 56% and specificity 92%. Surgical complications occurred in 18% of the patients; Conclusions: The commonest malignant thyroid cancer was papillary carcinoma. Thyroid cancer was more common in females. FNAC is highly accurate to confirm thyroid cancer but less sensitive in this study. Surgical complications were relatively minimal.