[Differentiated thyroid cancers. Thyroid recurrence after limited surgery].

Twenty-eight patients with differentiated thyroid cancer presented with local relapse 6 months to 24 years (mean: 7 years) after limited surgery. The tumour was clinically undetectable in 7 cases. Among 22 patients reoperated upon, one died post-operatively, 17.8% had permanent recurrent nerve paralysis and 14.3%, permanent hypoparathyroidism. Metastases were discovered in 15 patients (53.8%), 4 1/2 years on average after the relapse; they resulted in death within less than 2 years in 11 (39.2%) and the survival rate was moderate (26.7%). The mean survival of the 12 patients now in remission is 7 years since the relapse and 13 years since the initial tumour.