Histopathological Evaluation of 432 Cases of Goiter

Background: Classically, multinodular goiter (MNG) has been considered to be a safer form of goiter with minimal risk of malignancy. However, recent literature advocates that prevalence of malignancies in solitary thyroid nodule (STN) and MNG is comparable. Objective: To ascertain the frequency and pattern of malignancy in MNG and STN. Materials and Methods: It was a prospective study conductive from Feb 2006 to Nov 2008 in histopathology department at Shaikh Zayed Hospital Lahore. In this period, 432 cases including 310 cases of MNG and 122 cases of STN who underwent thyroid surgery were studied. Histopathology was carried out following surgery in all these cases. Histological diagnosis in each case was analyzed. Results: Among 310 cases of MNG, 12 (3.87%) were malignant and M:F was 2.53:1. Out of 122 cases of STN, 14 (11.47%) cases were found malignant with M:F of 1:1.76. Conclusion: The prevalence of malignancy in STN is higher than that in MNG; however, multinodularity should no longer be considered as an indicator of benign disease. Surgical intervention should be considered in all cases of nodular goiter.