The purpose of this study is to explore whether percutaneous laser ablation (PLA) is a safe and effective alternative to removing papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) with surgery.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age ≥ 18 years

• Papillary thyroid cancer documented by

  • (a) Bethesda VI cytology,
  • (b) Bethesda III, IV, V, or VI cytology AND BRAF V600E mutation, or
  • (c) Bethesda V cytology AND high risk ultrasonographic features documented by either the ATA high suspicion or TIRADS 5 nodule characteristics

To ensure the majority of cases will be eligible based on criteria (a) or (b), we will enroll ≤ 2 patients based on criteria (c).

• Maximum diameter ≤ 13 mm
• Declined active surveillance
• The thyroid lesion must be primarily solid with ≤ 25% cystic compent
• No US evidence of extrathyroidal extension through the thyroid capsule
• No imaging evidence of lymph node metastasis
• Preserved contralateral vocal cord function prior to PLA

Exclusion Criteria:

• Thyroid cancer that is non papillary thyroid cancer (PTC)
• Thyroid lesion with > 25% cystic component
• Lesion with US evidence of extrathyroidal extension through the thyroid capsule
• Clinical or ultrasonographic evidence of lymph node metastasis
• Pregnancy

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center supports the international committee of medical journal editors (ICMJE) and the ethical obligation of responsible sharing of data from clinical trials. The protocol summary, a statistical summary, and informed consent form will be made available on clinicaltrials.gov when required as a condition of Federal awards, other agreements supporting the research and/or as otherwise required. Requests for deidentified individual participant data can be made beginning 12 months after publication and for up to 36 months post publication. Deidentified individual participant data reported in the manuscript will be shared under the terms of a Data Use Agreement and may only be used for approved proposals. Requests may be made to: crdatashare@mskcc.org.