Journal List > J Korean Thyroid Assoc > v.8(1) > 1056586

Lee: History of Korean Thyroid Association and Recent Debates on Diagnosis and Treatment of Thyroid Cancer in Korea

Abstract

It is an undeniable fact that the establishment of the Korean Thyroid Association (KTA) in 2008 will reinforce growing thyroidology in Korea. It is worthwhile to recall the histories behind the foundation of the KTA and to remember the efforts of the founders. Since 2005, there has been a massive increase in thyroid cancer incidence in Korea, which is much higher than in other countries. A large majority of cases fall into papillary microcarcinoma (less than 1 cm). Much debate has been sparked since early 2014 through mass media as well as among medical professionals on the issues of early screening and detection of small thyroid cancer, overdiagnosis and overtreatment of thyroid cancer. Based on the author's past 30 years of clinical practice in endocrinology with a focus on thyroid disease, this article presents my opinion on such debate and provides thoughts on future directions. This article only represents the author's personal, possibly limited, perspective thought. For this reason, readers are recommended to use their own judgement in weighing the opinions.

References

1. Cho BY. History of thyroidology in Korea. J Korean Thyroid Assoc. 2008; 1(1):1–10.
2. Adams DD, Purves HD. Abnormal responses in the assay of thyrotropin. Proceedings of the University of Otago Medical School. 1956; 34:11–2.
3. Yalow RS, Berson SA. Immunoassay of endogenous plasma insulin in man. J Clin Invest. 1960; 39:1157–75.
crossref
4. Min BS, Lee KW, Kim CC, Kim HK, Kim HY, Kim DJ. E-Rosette forming activity and spontaneous lymphocyte mediated cytotoxicity in Graves' disease. Current problems in thyroid research: proceedings of the Second Asia and Oceania Thyroid Association Meeting. 1982; 605:441–4.
5. Koh CS, Ahn IM, Cho BY. Immunofluorescent findings in Graves' and Hashimoto's disease. Current problems in thyroid research: proceedings of the Second Asia and Oceania Thyroid Association Meeting. 1982; 605:489–91.
6. Kim WB, Kim TY, Kwon HS, Moon WJ, Lee JB, Choi YS. et al. Management guidelines for patients with thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer. J Korean Endocr Soc. 2007; 22(3):157–87.
7. Cooper DS, Doherty GM, Haugen BR, Kloos RT, Lee SL, Mandel SJ. et al. Management guidelines for patients with thyroid nodules and differentiated thyroid cancer. Thyroid. 2006; 16(2):109–42.
8. Harach HR, Franssila KO, Wasenius VM. Occult papillary carcinoma of the thyroid. A “normal” finding in Finland. A systematic autopsy study. Cancer. 1985; 56(3):531–8.
crossref
9. Martinez-Tello FJ, Martinez-Cabruja R, Fernandez-Martin J, Lasso-Oria C, Ballestin-Carcavilla C. Occult carcinoma of the thyroid. A systematic autopsy study from Spain of two series performed with two different methods. Cancer. 1993; 71(12):4022–9.
crossref
10. Lee M. Cytological aspiration biopsy of the thyroid gland. Seoul. Ilchokak;1984.
11. Kim EK, Park CS, Chung WY, Oh KK, Kim DI, Lee JT. et al. New sonographic criteria for recommending fine-needle aspiration biopsy of nonpalpable solid nodules of the thyroid. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2002; 178(3):687–91.
12. Kim EK, Kwak JY. State of the art thyroid sonography. GABON Medical Book Service;2006.
13. Tae HJ, Lim DJ, Baek KH, Park WC, Lee YS, Choi JE. et al. Diagnostic value of ultrasonography to distinguish between benign and malignant lesions in the management of thyroid nodules. Thyroid. 2007; 17(5):461–6.
14. Kweon SS, Shin MH, Chung IJ, Kim YJ, Choi JS. Thyroid cancer is the most common cancer in women, based on the data from population-based cancer registries, South Korea. Jpn J Clin Oncol. 2013; 43(10):1039–46.
crossref
15. Curado MP, Edwards B, Shin HR, Storm H, Ferlay J, Heanue M. et al. Cancer incidence in five continents. Vol IX. IARC Scientific Publications No. 160. International Agency for Research on Cancer. 2007.
16. Ministry of Health & Welfare, Korea Central Cancer Registry, National Cancer Center. Annual report of cancer statistics in Korea in 2011. 2013.
17. National Evidence-based Healthcare Collaborating Agency. Development of Evidence for providing health screening service for detecting thyroid cancer. 2012.
18. Ito Y, Miyauchi A, Kihara M, Higashiyama T, Kobayashi K, Miya A. Patient age is significantly related to the progression of papillary microcarcinoma of the thyroid under observation. Thyroid. 2014; 24(1):27–34.
crossref
19. Yi KH, Park YJ, Koong SS, Kim JH, Na DG, Ryu JS. et al. Revised Korean Thyroid Association management guidelines for patients with thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer. Endocrinol Metab. 2010; 25(4):270–97.
20. Korean Endocrine Society, Korean Thyroid Association. Consensus position statement of Korean Endocrine Society and Korean Thyroid Association. Endocrinol Metab. 2010; 25(2):98–100.
21. Henry JF, Gramatica L, Denizot A, Kvachenyuk A, Puccini M, Defechereux T. Morbidity of prophylactic lymph node dissection in the central neck area in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma. Langenbecks Arch Surg. 1998; 383(2):167–9.
crossref
22. Sywak M, Cornford L, Roach P, Stalberg P, Sidhu S, Delbridge L. Routine ipsilateral level VI lymphadenectomy reduces postoperative thyroglobulin levels in papillary thyroid cancer. Surgery. 2006; 140(6):1000–5. discussion 1005-7.
crossref
23. Roh JL, Park JY, Park CI. Total thyroidectomy plus neck dissection in differentiated papillary thyroid carcinoma patients: pattern of nodal metastasis, morbidity, recurrence, and postoperative levels of serum parathyroid hormone. Ann Surg. 2007; 245(4):604–10.
24. Roh JL, Park JY, Park CI. Prevention of postoperative hypocalcemia with routine oral calcium and vitamin D supplements in patients with differentiated papillary thyroid carcinoma undergoing total thyroidectomy plus central neck dissection. Cancer. 2009; 115(2):251–8.
crossref
25. Park JS. My travels in thyroid cancer. J Korean Thyroid Assoc. 2009; 2(2):71–86.
26. Tuttle RM. Risk-adapted management of thyroid cancer. Endocr Pract. 2008; 14(6):764–74.
crossref
27. Mallick U, Harmer C, Yap B, Wadsley J, Clarke S, Moss L. et al. Ablation with low-dose radioiodine and thyrotropin alfa in thyroid cancer. N Engl J Med. 2012; 366(18):1674–85.
28. Han JM, Kim WG, Kim TY, Jeon MJ, Ryu JS, Song DE. et al. Effects of low-dose and high-dose postoperative radioiodine therapy on the clinical outcome in patients with small differentiated thyroid cancer having microscopic extrathyroidal extension. Thyroid. 2014; 24(5):820–5.
29. Rosario PW, Mourao GF, dos Santos JB, Calsolari MR. Is empirical radioactive iodine therapy still a valid approach to patients with thyroid cancer and elevated thyroglobulin? Thyroid. 2014; 24(3):533–6.
crossref
30. Schlumberger M, Catargi B, Borget I, Deandreis D, Zerdoud S, Bridji B. et al. Strategies of radioiodine ablation in patients with low-risk thyroid cancer. N Engl J Med. 2012; 366(18):1663–73.
31. Mable R. Endocrinology update (Endocrinology news from Mayo Clinic). Vol. 9(No. 3):2014.
32. Edge SB, Byrd DR, Compton CC, Fritz AG, Greene FL, Trotti A. AJCC cancer staging manual. 7th ed. New York, NY: Springer;2010; p.1-646.
33. National Comprehensive Cancer Network. NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: Thyroid Carcinoma. V.2:2007; http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/PDF/thyroid.pdf. [cited August 21 2008].
34. Brito JP, Hay ID, Morris JC. Low risk papillary thyroid cancer. BMJ. 2014; 348:g3045.
crossref

Fig. 1.
The 2nd Asia Oceania Thyroid Association (AOTA) Congress, 1982.
jkta-8-36f1.tif
Fig. 2.
The 7th Thyroid Cancer Symposium, 1982.
jkta-8-36f2.tif
Fig. 3.
Management guidelines for patients with thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer, Korean Endocrine Society, 2007.
jkta-8-36f3.tif
Fig. 4.
Professor Chang Soon Koh.
jkta-8-36f4.tif
Fig. 5.
Korean Thyroid Association meeting 2008.
jkta-8-36f5.tif
Fig. 6.
The list of contributors for foundation of Korean Thyroid Association.
jkta-8-36f6.tif
Fig. 7.
Various dose of levothyroxine.
jkta-8-36f7.tif
TOOLS
Similar articles