[Latent cancerous pathology of the thyroid].

Postmortem morphologic examination of the thyroid was performed in 122 residents of the Minsk Region, Byelorussian Republic. Various pathology underdiagnosed during life was found in 68%. Fourteen papillary carcinomas were detected in 11 (9.9%) of cases whereas 27 (22.1%) subjects revealed 46 follicular adenomas. Nodular goiter was established in 52.5%, thyroiditis--6.5% and cancer metastases--in 5.7% of cases. The male/female ratio for microcarcinoma was 8:3. All tumor-bearing subjects were over 41 years of age. Occurrence of the occult thyroid pathology in different regions of the country can be used to compare potential radiation and other hazards.