Ans. A: Radioiodine Follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) is a well-differentiated tumor. In fact, FTC resembles the normal microscopic pattern of the thyroid. FTC originates in follicular cells and is the second most common cancer of the thyroid, after papillary carcinoma. Follicular and papillary thyroid cancers are considered to be differentiated thyroid cancers; together they make up 95% of thyroid cancer cases. Papillary/follicular carcinoma must be considered a variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (mixed form), and Huhle cell carcinoma should be considered a variant of FTC. Despite its well-differentiated characteristics, follicular carcinoma may be ovely or minimally invasive. In fact, FTC tumors may spread easily to other organs. The prognosis is better for younger patients than for patients who are older than 45 years. Patients with FTC are more likely to develop lung and bone metastases than are patients with papillary thyroid cancer. The bone metastases in FTC are osteolytic. Older patients have an increased risk of developing bone and lung metastases. The initial treatment for cancer of the thyroid is surgical. The exact nature of the surgical procedure to be performed depends for the most pa on the extent of the local disease. A total thyroidectomy is performed if the primary tumor is larger than 1 cm in diameter or if there is extrathyroidal involvement or distant metastases. Clinically evident lymphadenopathy should be removed with a neck dissection. If the primary tumor is less than 1 cm in diameter, a unilateral lobectomy might be considered. About 4-6 weeks after surgical thyroid removal, patients must have radioiodine to detect and destroy any metastasis and any residual tissue in the thyroid.