April - June 2018, Volume 14, Issue 2

Dirilenoglu F, Kahraman Akkalp A, Bag H, Atasever Rezanko T, Kucukodaci Z

Noninvasive Encapsulated Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma Promising an Excellent Clinical Course: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Acta Endo (Buc) 2018, 14 (2): 255-260
doi: 10.4183/aeb.2018.255

Context. Noninvasive encapsulated anaplastic thyroid carcinomas (NE-ATCs) have been described in few case reports, and consistently associated with favorable outcome compared to the classical ATCs. Objective. Our aim is to remark a rare histological finding in ATCs, encapsulation, which has been associated with a favorable outcome. Design. We have documented a rare case of an NE-ATC with its clinical, pathological, and molecular features. We also provided a thorough discussion of all the encapsulated ATCs reported in the literature. Subjects and Methods. A 50-year-old woman with an unremarkable medical history, who presented with a thyroid nodule, and diagnosed as “follicular lesion of undetermined significance” by fine needle aspiration biopsy. The patient was lost to follow-up for six years and revisited upon her neck disturbances and underwent total thyroidectomy. Results. Sections of the right lobe revealed a grossly encapsulated nodular lesion, measuring 75x55x55 mm. Histologically, the tumor consisted of both carcinomatous and sarcomatous components supported by immunohistochemical stains. Necrosis and atypical mitotic figures were evident. Capsular and/or vascular invasion was not identified. There were no BRAF codon 600, KRAS, NRAS mutations and RET/PTC rearrangement. During three-month follow-up, the patient was free of disease without adjuvant therapy. Conclusion. Encapsulated ATCs tend to follow a favorable clinical course and may deserve conservative treatment approaches.

Keywords: anaplastic carcinoma, thyroid, noninvasive, capsule, carcinosarcoma, good prognosis.

Correspondence: Fikret Dirilenoglu MD, Near East University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Nicosia, Cyprus, 99138, E-mail: fikretdirilenoglu@gmail.com