Detection of sentinel lymph nodes in patients with papillary thyroid cancer.

Objectives: To determine the feasibility of sentinel lymph node biopsy as a means of evaluating the cervical lymph nodes of patients with papillary thyroid cancer.

Methods: Isosulfan blue dye was injected around the tumour of 68 patients with papillary thyroid cancer; sentinel lymph node biopsy was performed in addition to subtotal thyroidectomy and central and modified lateral neck lymph node dissections. Surgical specimens were examined by routine processing to determine whether metastasis was present.

Direct mini-incision thyroidectomy.

We recently developed a new surgical technique for carrying out thyroidectomy, to minimize surgical invasiveness and improve the cosmetic result. Our procedure differs from conventional thyroidectomy in requiring a 3-cm skin incision and no raising of the skin flap. Since this technique decreased tissue trauma by obviating unnecessary neck exploration, hypesthesia or paresthesia in the neck and discomfort while swallowing, related to a large skin incision and raising of the skin flap, are minimized.

Direct mini-incision parathyroidectomy.

We describe our technique for performing a mini-incision parathyroidectomy in patients with hyperparathyroidism. Since our procedure differs from conventional parathyroidectomy in requiring a 2- or 3-cm skin incision and no raising of skin flap, this technique resulted in a good cosmetic status and less invasiveness. Hypesthesia or paresthesia in the neck and discomfort while swallowing related to a large skin incision and raising of skin flap are minimized.

[Developments in endocrine therapy for breast cancer].

After the usefulness of ovariectomy in breast cancer patients was demonstrated, endocrine therapy has been one of the most effective treatments of breast cancer. Thereafter, it became clear that estrogen receptors (ERs) existed in the cells of breast cancer. After it was found that ERs could be used as a predictive factor of endocrine therapy for breast cancer, the validity of endocrine therapy has became more certain.

[Thyroid carcinoma: genetics, diagnosis, clinical features, and surgical treatment].

The genes implicated in thyroid carcinoma can be categorized as oncogenes or tumor-suppressor genes. The RET oncogene has well-established roles in the development of both medullary and papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Genetic testing for the germline RET mutation is commonly performed, and prophylactic thyroidectomy is carried out at an early stage.