papillary carcinoma

pathology

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 17, 2026

Quick Summary

Papillary carcinoma is a type of thyroid cancer, accounting for about 90% of all cases. The term "papillary" refers to the presence of nipple-shaped projections or structures within the tumor. These tumors are typically slow-growing and can spread to lymph nodes, lungs, or other areas.12

The primary risk factors for papillary carcinoma include external radiation to the head and neck and exposure to radioactive iodine during childhood. Fortunately, most patients diagnosed with papillary carcinoma can be cured through a combination of surgery, radioactive iodine therapy, and thyroid hormone therapy. While thyroid tumors in general are common, thyroid cancer itself is relatively rare.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

thyroid tumour
…four types of thyroid cancer: papillary carcinoma, which accounts for about 90 percent of cases, and follicular carcinoma, anaplastic carcinoma, and medullary carcinoma, which together account for the remaining 10 percent of cases. Papillary and follicular carcinomas are very slow-growing tumours, and, while they can spread to lymph nodes in…
Read More
…four types of thyroid cancer: papillary carcinoma, which accounts for about 90 percent of cases, and follicular carcinoma, anaplastic carcinoma, and medullary carcinoma, which together account for the remaining 10 percent of cases. Papillary and follicular carcinomas are very slow-growing tumours, and, while they can spread to lymph nodes in…
Read More