Coexistence of Hashimoto's thyroiditis with papillary thyroid carcinoma. A retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: The association between Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) and papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) remains controversial in medical bibliography. The main objective of our study was to determine the prevalence of PTC and HT coexistence in histopathologic material of thyroidectomized patients. DESIGN: In a retrospective study, the clinicohistopathologic data of 140 patients (19 males/121 females), who underwent a total or near total thyroidectomy for any thyroid pathology from January 2005 to December 2009 at the Naval Hospital of Crete, were analysed. The mean age of the patients was 52 years (range 16-74). RESULTS: HT was detected in 42 (30%) and PTC in 32 (22.9%) specimens. Coexistence of HT with PTC was present in 12 (8.6%) specimens. Among 32 specimens with PTC, the prevalence of HT was 37.5%. Among 42 specimens with HT, the prevalence of PTC was 28.6%. There was no statistically significant difference between the presence of PTC and HT in histopathologic material. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of PTC and HT coexistence in histopathologic material of 140 thyroidectomized patients was 8.6%, whereas the difference between PTC and HT was not statistically significant.

Nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis (marantic endocarditis) in cancer patients.

The term nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis (NBTE), or marantic endocarditis, refers to a spectrum of lesions ranging from microscopic aggregates of platelets to large vegetations on previously undamaged heart valves (most often aortic and mitral) in the absence of a bloodstream bacterial infection. NBTE is a rare condition often associated with hypercoagulable states or advanced malignancy such as adenocarcinomas. In this article, the pathogenesis, incidence, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and management of NBTE in cancer patients are reviewed.