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A tribute to Ernest L. Mazzaferri, MD and the lasting impact that he had on thyroid cancer care ten years after his death

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Abstract

This viewpoint highlights the contributions of Dr. Ernest Mazzaferri, a prominent figure in the field of thyroid cancer care, who made significant contributions to the diagnosis and treatment of this disease. Dr. Mazzaferri’s first paper on thyroid cancer, published in 1977, established fundamental principles that remain fundamental to differentiated thyroid cancer management. He was an advocate of total thyroidectomy and of postoperative radioiodine therapy and contributed to improving thyroid fine needle aspiration techniques. Dr. Mazzaferri’s leadership in developing guidelines for the management of thyroid cancer and thyroid nodules has been influential and widely accepted. His groundbreaking work established a systematic and data-driven approach to the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid cancer that continues to shape the field of thyroid cancer care today. This Viewpoint reflects on his lasting impact ten years after his death.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    David S. Cooper

  2. Department of Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center & Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH, USA

    Matthew D. Ringel

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  1. David S. Cooper
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  2. Matthew D. Ringel
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Correspondence to David S. Cooper.

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Cooper, D.S., Ringel, M.D. A tribute to Ernest L. Mazzaferri, MD and the lasting impact that he had on thyroid cancer care ten years after his death. Endocrine 80, 500–502 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-023-03385-9

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