North American Pediatric Thyroid Cancer Registry

Cancers arising from the thyroid gland are the eighth most common cancer diagnosed in adolescents and the second most common among girls. In the United States, approximately 700 children and adolescents are diagnosed with thyroid cancer each year. The incidence of thyroid cancer has been increasing in pediatric age group especially in adolescents. Children and young adults with thyroid cancer were traditionally treated according to adult protocols. In 2015, The American Thyroid Association published the first management guidelines specific for thyroid cancer in children. While this was an important step in the right direction, several questions remain unanswered.

• Why is the incidence of thyroid cancer increasing in children?
• Which children will benefit from radioactive iodine treatment?
• What is the appropriate dose of radioactive iodine treatment?
• What are the long-term side effects of the current treatment?
• What is the role of tyrosine kinase inhibitors and other targeted therapies in management of children with thyroid cancer?

The North American Pediatric Thyroid Cancer Registry was established at Texas Children’s Hospital to find answers to these questions and improve outcome of children with thyroid cancer.

Registry goals

• To enroll all children diagnosed with thyroid cancer in North America and collect clinical and biological information
• To serve as a resource for patients and their families, and treating physicians to ensure optimal treatment of children with thyroid cancer
• To serve as a resource for researchers involved in pediatric thyroid cancer research

How to enroll

If you or your child is diagnosed with thyroid cancer and you are interested in finding more information about this registry, please contact us by emailing raretumors@texachildrens.org or by calling 832-822-46835.

Registry personnel

Rajkumar Venkatramani, MD, Pediatric oncologist
Norma M. Quintanilla, MD, Pathologist
Josalind Randall, Research Coordinator