Thyroid papillary cancers: microcarcinoma and carcinoma, incidental cancers and non-incidental cancers - are they different diseases?

Summary Objective Tumour size represents a much‐debated prognostic factor in papillary cancer, and the necessity to perform a fine‐needle aspiration (FNA) on small nodules is a frequent matter of discussion. We compared some prognostic histological features for various sizes of papillary cancers (PCs) and, with regard to these prognostic features, we compared non‐incidental with incidental PCs. We also considered the possibility that ultrasonography could detect nodules harbouring the most aggressive cancers. Design and patients We have studied patients with a histological diagnosis of PC from 1999 to 2003. FNA was performed on all nodules > 1·0 cm and on hypoechoic nodules with irregular margins or microcalcification when the size was