Occult thyroid carcinoma in a Greek population.

Eleven occult carcinomas (1.8%) were found in 611 specimens from partial and radical thyroidectomies performed in Metaxa's Memorial Hospital of Piraeus and 3 (1.5%) in 200 autopsies from Athens City Forensic Department. Both surgical and autopsy specimens were thoroughly examined. Autopsies were selected to match for age and sex to the surgical material, from non hospitalized relatively healthy individuals. The prevalence found by us was lower than that reported from other European countries. The prevalence found in autopsies and surgicals was almost identical and it appears that thyroid lesions due to which the patients were operated are not related to the presence of the tumors.