Incidence and histopathological behavior of papillary microcarcinomas: Study of 429 cases

We aim to present papillary microcarcinoma (PMC) incidence at a university teaching hospital, to compare characteristics of PMC in relation to size, and to assess for significant difference in PMC incidence among patients with non-PMC thyroid malignancies. Pathology results were reviewed for consecutive total thyroidectomies between 2002 and 2007 (n = 860). Statistical significance was calculated using χ 2 or, when unavailable, Fisher exact test. PMC was found in 429 cases, which is 49.9 percent of all total thyroidectomies. In PMC ≥5 mm, 25.1 percent had extrathyroidal extension vs 9.1 percent for