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Medullary carcinoma of the thyroid with atypical patterns
Author(s) -
Bussolati Gianni,
Monga Guido
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(197911)44:5<1769::aid-cncr2820440534>3.0.co;2-z
Subject(s) - medullary carcinoma , calcitonin , pathology , medullary cavity , medicine , carcinoma , ultrastructure , thyroid , thyroid carcinoma , cytoplasm , biology , microbiology and biotechnology
A case of a highly invasive thyroid carcinoma, which occurred in a 68‐year‐old woman, was studied by light and electron microscopy, and histochemical and biochemical analysis. Light microscopical, histochemical, and biochemical features were consistent with a diagnosis of a calcitonin‐producing, amyloidrich medullary carcinoma; electron microscopical patterns, mainly the presence of lumina, microvilli, and extensively dilated cytoplasmic E.R., were reminiscent of the ultrastructural features of the follicular carcinoma. Electrondense bodies interpreted as “secretory granules” were very scarce. This case appears very similar to the case recently presented by Valenta et al. 48 and interpreted as a microfollicular carcinoma. The atypical features of our case of MCT seem to indicate that this tumor should be included in a group of atypical MCT; these should be kept separate from the typical (differentiated) ones on morphological, functional, and prognostic grounds.