©The Author(s) 2020. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Clin Oncol. Jun 24, 2020; 11(6): 320-336
Published online Jun 24, 2020. doi: 10.5306/wjco.v11.i6.320
Published online Jun 24, 2020. doi: 10.5306/wjco.v11.i6.320
Active surveillance in low risk papillary thyroid carcinoma
Fabian Pitoia, Anabella Smulever, Division of Endocrinology, Hospital de Clínicas, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires 1120, Argentina
Author contributions: Pitoia F and Smulever A wrote the paper.
Conflict-of-interest statement: Authors certify that there is no conflict of interest related to the manuscript.
Corresponding author: Fabián Pitoia, MD, PhD, Division of Endocrinology, Hospital de Clínicas, University of Buenos Aires, Córdoba 2351, 5th Floor, Buenos Aires 1120, Argentina. fpitoia@intramed.net
Received: January 15, 2020
Peer-review started: January 15, 2020
First decision: March 15, 2020
Revised: April 7, 2020
Accepted: May 5, 2020
Article in press: May 5, 2020
Published online: June 24, 2020
Processing time: 161 Days and 8.2 Hours
Peer-review started: January 15, 2020
First decision: March 15, 2020
Revised: April 7, 2020
Accepted: May 5, 2020
Article in press: May 5, 2020
Published online: June 24, 2020
Processing time: 161 Days and 8.2 Hours
Core Tip
Core tip: While the diagnosis of intrathyroidal papillary microcarcinomas has increased exponentially, the mortality rate has remained stable. Although surgical resection was the classic standard therapy, active surveillance has emerged as an alternative approach aimed to recognize a minority of patients who will clinically progress and would likely benefit from rescue surgery. During follow-up, these tumors (including those between 1-2 cm) evolve with no changes in size, have very slow growth rates, and even decrease in diameter. Given the high prevalence of papillary microcarcinomas and the excellent observational outcomes, active surveillance constitutes a safe and feasible alternative for properly selected patients.