What is Papillary Cancer of the Thyroid?

Papillary cancer of the thyroid is a carcinoma that presents as an irregular cystic or solid mass in otherwise normal thyroid tissue. This tumour is the most common of all thyroid tumours. It is more common in women than in men by a ratio of 3 to 1. It has an excellent prognosis if treated correctly and has a peak incidence between the ages of 30 to 50. The prognosis is best in females under 50 years with a tumour less than 4 cms in diameter.

A histological slide of papillary cancer of the thyroid - click to enlarge

A cytological slide of papillary cancer of the thyroid - click to enlarge