Noninvasive Follicular Thyroid Neoplasm With Papillary-Like Nuclear Features in Children: An Institutional Experience and Literature Review

Background Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) in children has a distinctive set of clinicopathologic features and molecular signature compared to their adult counterparts. The recent recommendation to reclassify encapsulated follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (EFVPTC) without invasion as noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features (NIFTP) is based on evidence derived almost exclusively from studies in adults. Clinicopathologic studies restricted to pediatric NIFTP are limited. Methods We retrospectively analyzed all pediatric PTC and NIFTP diagnosed and treated in our institution from 1999 to 2016 (n = 31). Results Using recently published consensus diagnostic criteria, we identified 3 NIFTP and 2 infiltrative follicular variants of papillary thyroid carcinoma (FVPTC) among 31 cases. Two of the NIFTP cases were initially diagnosed as EFVPTC. All 3 patients with NIFTP had unifocal tumors of lower American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) classification (T2 or lower) and were free of lymph node or distant metastasis. Total (n = 1) or completion (n = 2) thyroidectomy was performed in all cases, and only 1 NIFTP patient received subsequent radioablative therapy. No residual or recurrent disease has been observed during follow-up (15–138 months) in patients with NIFTP. Conclusions Our experience with NIFTP in children is similar to outcomes reported in adult studies, suggesting that pediatric NIFTP behave indolently as evidenced by the absence of local recurrence in our cohort.