One of the main reasons for publishing this second edition of "T- roid Cancer" is the fact that the first edition has sold out. Furth- more, during the 4 years following the publication of the first edition in 2001, some progress, mainly in the basic sciences (molecular biology), has been made. The most prominent change in the clinical sciences has been the new classification of thyroid cancer, especially with relation to T1-T3 tumors. Now, tumors with a diameter of up to 2 cm are still classified T1. This new UICC classification (6th edition) follows the classification of the American Society of Pathology. These changes require a modification of the old guidelines. According to the Hedinger classification (1988) tumors with a diameter below 1 cm were classified as "papillary microcarcinoma of the thyroid". Only in those tumors was total or nearly total thyroidectomy deemed unn- essary and I-131 therapy not a prerequisite for treatment. The majority of the chapters has been updated including references to many new publications. Two new chapters, on I-124 PET and - simetry, have been added. We strongly feel that this second edition of "Thyroid Cancer" is again a state-of-the-art overview of the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid cancer. Bonn, Frankfurt am Main H. -J. Biersack, F. Grünwald Preface to the First Edition Thyroid cancer was first described at the end of the eighteenth c- tury.

Basics

The Changing Epidemiology of Thyroid Cancer
Histopathology, Immunohistochemistry, and Molecular Biology
Familial Differentiated Carcinoma of the Thyroid
The Diagnosis of Thyroid Cancer
The Current Surgical Approach to Non-Medullary Thyroid Cancer
Differentiated Thyroid Cancer
Radioiodine Therapy for Thyroid Cancer
124I Positron Emission Tomographic Dosimetry and Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography Imaging in Differentiated Thyroid Cancer
External Beam Radiotherapy
Thyroid Cancer: Treatment with Thyroid Hormone
Treatment with Cytotoxic Drugs
Redifferentiation Therapy of Thyroid Carcinomas with Retinoic Acid
Follow-up of Patients with Well-Differentiated Thyroid Cancer
Thyroglobulin as Specific Tumor Marker in Differentiated Thyroid Cancer
Functional Imaging of Differentiated Thyroid Cancer
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Thyroid Cancer in Chernobyl Children
Medullary Thyroid Cancer
Diagnosis of Medullary Thyroid Cancer
Imaging in Medullary Thyroid Cancer
Therapy for Medullary Thyroid Cancer
Follow-up of Medullary Thyroid Cancer.