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Review
. 2020 Feb 19;10(2):112.
doi: 10.3390/diagnostics10020112.

Pediatric Thyroid Cancer in Europe: An Overdiagnosed Condition? A Literature Review

Andreea-Ioana Stefan  1 , Andra Piciu  2 , Alexandru Mester  3 , Dragos Apostu  4 , Marius Badan  5 , Claudiu-Iulian Badulescu  5
Affiliations
Review

Pediatric Thyroid Cancer in Europe: An Overdiagnosed Condition? A Literature Review

Andreea-Ioana Stefan et al. Diagnostics (Basel). .

Abstract

Thyroid neoplastic pathology is the most common form of cancer associated with radiation exposure. The most common histopathological type of thyroid carcinoma is the differentiated thyroid cancer (these include papillary and follicular type), which represents over 90% of all cases, especially affecting girls rather than boys. Although patients are diagnosed in advanced stages as compared to adults, the prognosis of the disease is very good, with a 30-year survival rate of over 95% but post-therapeutic morbidity remains quite high. The treatment is based in particular on the therapeutic guidelines for adults, but as children have some histopathological and genetic characteristics of thyroid cancer, as well as different initial clinical presentations, we decided to review the literature on this pathology among the pediatric population, focusing on cases in Europe. The major interest is the impact of the Chernobyl accident.

Keywords: Chernobyl; Europe; pediatric thyroid cancer.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Selection criteria (PRISMA 2009 Flow Diagram).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Graphical distribution of articles over time.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Geographic distribution of the studies in Europe.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Genic rearrangements.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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