Source: Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center
Written by: Department of Head and Neck Surgery of Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center
Edited by: Wang Dongmei

The 1st Congress of Asia-Pacific Society of Thyroid Surgery (APTS) took place in Seoul, Korea on November 19-20, 2015. Professor Guo Zhuming and Dr. Li Yin from the Department of Head and Neck Surgery of Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center (SYSUCC) were invited to attend the congress.

Dr. Li Yin, representing Professor Guo Zhuming, gave a presentation titled “Carbon Nanoparticles (CNs) for Identification of Lymph Nodes and Protection of Parathyroid Glands During Surgery”. Since the incidence of Differentiated Thyroid Cancer has been increasing continuously worldwide, effective methods to remove additional metastatic LN while retaining the parathyroids are needed. Dr. Li Yin and Professor Guo Zhuming found that the use of CNs resulted in an average of 2.71 more retrieved lymph nodes removed per patient case, lowered the rate of accidental parathyroid removal by approximately 23%, lowered the rate of postoperative transient hypoparathyroidism by approximately 21%, and lowered the rate of postoperative transient hypocalcemia by approximately 38% as well. CNs method may partially improve the extent and accuracy of neck dissection and preserve the normal anatomical structure and physiological function of the parathyroid glands during thyroid cancer surgery. This speech was positively responded and discussed by the attendees at the meeting.

This congress mainly focuses on multidisciplinary progress in thyroid cancer research and treatment for contemporary thyroid surgeons. Scholars from America, Canada, Singapore, Japan, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan discussed in depth on current Asia-Pacific Thyroid Surgeries, such as How To Avoid Unnecessary Surgery, Open Thyroid Surgery from Conventional to Cutting Edge Techniques and Multimodal treatments for Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer, etc. Experts from Johns Hopkins University, USA, Kyoto University, Japan and Korea Cancer Center introduced the current status and experience of the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid cancer in their own countries.