Benign metastases from thyroid malignancies.

Two patients harbouring cervical lymph node metastases from papillary carcinoma of the thyroid have remained free of symptoms after treatment with suppressive doses of thyroid hormone for 25 and 34 years, respectively. There is evidence that these local metastases are relatively innocuous and may even exert a protective effect in the course of this low-grade malignancy. It is suggested that currently accepted modes of treatment may be unnecessarily invasive and should be reassessed.