Invasive Thyroid Cancer: Management of the Trachea and Esophagus

Well-differentiated thyroid cancer most commonly presents as an intrathyroidal tumor; however, extrathyroidal extension occurs in approximately 6% to 13% of patients and carries a significant negative impact on survival. Extrathyroidal disease may involve critical structures in the central neck, including the recurrent laryngeal nerves, trachea, esophagus, and larynx, requiring surgery extending significantly beyond the thyroid gland. Appropriate surgical management is of great importance and can normalize survival curves, whereas gross residual disease postoperatively may lead to recurrence and decreased survival. Adjuvant postoperative therapies for thyroid cancers with extrathyroidal extension include thyroid hormone suppression, radioactive iodine therapy, and external beam radiotherapy. This summary reviews approaches to the management of invasive thyroid cancers involving the aerodigestive tract.