Webinar ETA guideline pediatric thyroid nodules and thyroid carcinoma

On Wednesday December 15^th at 19:00 – 20:30 CET a webinar is organised about “ETA guideline pediatric thyroid nodules and thyroid carcinoma”.

Pediatric differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) is a rare disease; however it’s worldwide incidence is rising. There are important differences between adult and pediatric DTC which is why a separate Pediatric Recommendation is necessary.

When compared to adult DTC, pediatric DTC often initially presents with more advanced disease. Despite the more aggressive presentation, pediatric DTC has an excellent prognosis. The most common genetic alterations in DTC are RET-PTC and NTRK fusions while mutations in BRAF, and RAS point mutations are less frequent and therefore, the utility of molecular testing on cytology of thyroid nodules and on thyroid tissue in children may be different from that in adults. Lastly, the consequences of possible adverse effects of DTC treatment may be different for children because of their longer life span.

There is currently no European recommendation for treatment of pediatric nodules and pediatric DTC. For this reason, in 2019, the executive committee of the European Thyroid Association (ETA) instituted an expert panel, in collaboration with ESPE, to represent the international community of experts from a variety of disciplines including pediatric and adult endocrinologists, a pathologist, endocrine surgeons, nuclear medicine physicians, a clinical geneticist, and an oncologist. Consensus was achieved to use the ATA pediatric guideline 2015 as framework for the new European Pediatric Guideline. Based on the ATA pediatric guideline, the expert panel identified areas of discordance and clinical questions were formulated. For each clinical question, relevant literature was identified and, using the GRADE system, the quality of evidence was graded. The expert panel members discussed all available evidence and formulated recommendations based upon the newest evidence and expert opinion. The final recommendations were formed by consensus of the expert panel members.

On December 15^th the new European Guideline for Pediatric Thyroid Nodules and Pediatric Differentiated Thyroid Cancer will be presented.