Læknablaðið - 15.11.1990, Page 37

LÆKNABLAÐIÐ 1990; 76: 457-81
457
ÚTDRÆTTIR ÚR ERINDUM, HÖLDNUM ÁIX.
ÞINGI FÉLAGS ÍSLENSKRA LYFLÆKNA í
VESTMANNAEYJUM 25. - 27. MAÍ1990
LATENT THYROID CARCINOMA IN ICELAND AT
AUTOPSY
Sigurður E. Porvaldsson, Ólafur Björnsson, Hrafn
Tulinius. Borgarspítali, Rannsóknastofa H.I. í
réttarlæknisfræði, Krabbameinsskráin.
The annual incidence rate of thyroid carcinoma in Iceland
is known to be high, 4,4 pr. 100,000 men, and 11,7 pr.
100,000 women, as published by the Icelandic Cancer
Registry for the period 1955-1984. This is 2-3 times as
high as in other Nordic countries and amongst the highest
incidence rates reported anywhere. This led us to study
the prevalence rate of lalent thyroid carcinoma in Iceland.
The thyroids of 201 consecutive legal autopsies were
subserially sectioned at 2-3 mm intervals. Two thyroid
glands were exluded from the study, one because of
previous surgery for cancer, and the other because of
previous irradiation to the neck for Hodgkins disease. In
14 j’tands, 16 foci of latenl carcinoma were found, or in
7% of tlie glands. Tlie rate was higher in males, 7.5%
than females 5%. There were 14 papillary carcinomas.
one follicnlar and one medullary.
Latent thyroid carcinoma was more common in men than
women although clinical carcinoma is 3-4 times more
common in women. Most carcinomas of the thyroid gland
prohahly remain latent until death, only a few hecome
clinically detectahle.
Table. Prevalence rates of latent thyroid carcinoma
and annual incidence rates in the same countries.
Countries Latent Incidence Male Female
U.S.A. (Hawaii) .... 28,1 4,8 6,2
Japan(Sendai) .... 28,4 1,0 2,7
Japan(Hiroshima) .... 28,4 2,1 7,3
Canada(Ontario) .... 6,0 1,2 3,1
Poland(Gliwice) .... 9,0 1,3 1,9
Columbia(Cali) .... 5,6 1,5 6,2
U.S.A.(Michigan) .... 13,0 2,3 5,3
Finland .... 35,6 1,6 3,9
Sweden(Malmö) .... 8,6 2,1 4,9
Iceland(present st.) .... 7,0 4,4 11,7
THE WEIGHT OF THE THYROID GLAND IN
ICELANDERS
Sigurður E. Þorvaldsson, Hrafn Tulinius.
Rannsóknastofa H.í. í réttarlæknisfræði,
Krabbameinsskráin.
The thyroid of 201 consecutive legal autopsies were
weighed from March 1984 to September 1985.
All glands were weighed fresh before fixation.
The present study shows a considerable increase in
weight of the thyroid gland in Icelanders from the time
of Sigurjónsson’s study in 1939, which showed the male
thyroid to weigh 13,98 grams and the female thyroid
11,58 grams.
Sigurjónsson excluded all glands over 25 grams stating
that... »glands over 25 grams in weight are abnormally
large as seen from the diagram of frequency distribution«,
and Johnsen excluded all glands over 40 grams stating,
»...most scientists believe that this is the upper weight
limit for normal glands« (translation).
Unlike these two authors we did not exclude any glands
because of weight alone. The mean thyroid weight in
adult males (20-79 years) was 19,25 grams and 16,25
grams in females.
Using the same methods as Sigurjónsson and Johnsen our
corresponding figures are shown within parenthesis in the
table.
Table. Weight of the Thyroid gland in lcelanders.
Present study within parenthesis.
Sigurjónsson 1939 Johnsen 1967-76
<25 grams <40 grams
Males 13,98 g Males 16,50 g
(17,57 g) (18,95 g)
Females 11,58 g Females 14,25 g
(13,75 g) (14,71 g)
Sigurjónsson's and Johnsen's studies were done on
autopsy material. Sigurjónsson suggested in his study in
1939 that legal autopsy material might give more reliable
figures. The present study was done on legal autopsy
material.
EINANGRAÐUR ACTH - SKORTUR, ÞRJÚ TILVIK
GREIND Á LYFLÆKNINGADEILD LANDSPÍTALA
1978-89
Sigurður Þ. Guðmundsson. Lyflækningadeild
Landspítala.
Skortur eins trópísks hormóns frá kinilhluta heiladinguls
er geysilega sjaldgæft fyrirbrigði og greining slíks ástands
því meiri háttar mál, þar sem sýna verður fram á, að
örvun annarra trópa svari eðlilega klassískum prófunum
rneð því að beita ýmist álags (streitu) aðferðum eða gjöf
hreinna heilastúku-leysiþátta.
Algengasti einangraði trópaskortur í framhluta