Histopathologic and clinical follow-up data of 17 patients observed 3-104 months (mean: 38 months) after operation for oncocytic tumors of the thyroid gland are presented. Mean patient age was 50 +/- 15 years. Benign and malignant lesions were respectively 13 and 4. Frozen sections were positive for benign and malignant lesions in respectively 7 and 2 cases. Total thyroidectomy was performed in all cases of malignant lesions and in 7 cases of benign lesion, the latter in order to treat high volume adenomas or associated controlateral lesions. No tumor relapse was observed during the follow-up period (data about 16 patients). A review of the literature indicates that thyroid oncocytic adenoma diagnosis can be trusted and that this tumor is not especially prone to a malignant course with the mode of treatment applied. Thus total thyroidectomy should be recommended for: 1) malignant tumors. 2) and for selected benign adenomas depending on the tumor volume or on associated lesions.