PubMed1998
INTRODUCTION: A national registry for medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) and multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN2) was set up to evaluate epidemiological, clinical and prognostic factors of the sporadic and hereditary forms of MTC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Coded data from 1217 patients with MTC from 57 participating centers in Germany were registered and statistically analyzed. The series included 515 (42%) males (mean age 43.1+/-16.1 years) and 702 (58%) females (mean age 44.4+/-17.6 years), with a mean follow-up of 5.2 years; 865 (71%) exhibited the sporadic form and 352 (29%) the familial form (244 MEN2a, 32 MEN2b, 76 FMTC). The mean age at diagnosis was 49 years for sporadic and 30 years for the familial form. RESULTS: Of the patients, 17% presented at stage I, according to the UICC, and 30%, 45%, and 8% presented at stages II, III, and IV, respectively. There were 12% of patients who died of the disease. The overall adjusted survival rate was 87% at 5 years, and 76% at 10 years. In a univariate analysis, the stage of disease at diagnosis, age, gender, and form were relevant prognostic factors. In a multivariate proportional-hazards analysis, the difference between patients with sporadic and familial disease disappeared. CONCLUSION: As the tumor stage at presentation is the major prognostic factor, early diagnosis and surgical intervention before cervical lymph node metastases appear is necessary to improve survival especially in sporadic cases.