Papillary thyroid carcinoma: an update

The past two decades have seen numerous developments in the understanding of the origins and biology of papillary thyroid carcinoma. Advances in molecular biology, clinicopathologic studies of new entities, facility with fine-needle aspiration biopsy, and new radiologic imaging techniques have allowed for earlier diagnosis of these tumors. However, these advances have also caused controversies in cytologic and histopathologic diagnoses as well as therapy decisions. This paper will focus on several pathologic aspects of papillary carcinoma, which impact on its biology and prognosis.