Histogenesis of anaplastic carcinomas of the thyroid, giant cell variety: immunocytochemical investigation.
The histogenetic and differentiation characteristics of 14 cases of anaplastic carcinoma of the thyroid, giant cell variety were investigated on the basis of immunocytochemical reactivity with 5 cell markers: thyroglobulin, lactoferrin, carcinoembryonic antigen, calcitonin and chromogranin. The first 2 markers were found to be present in isolated neoplastic cells. Only 1 case was strongly and specifically positive for C cell markers and therefore interpreted as a medullary variety of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. The patient is still alive 8 years after thyroidectomy. All the other patients died of a tumor a few months after the operation. It is suggested that while most cases of anaplastic thyroid carcinomas are probably of follicular origin, the medullary variety constitutes a rare subgroup of a separate histogenetic and prognostic significance.
D002116:Calcitonin / Q000032:analysis; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology*; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000473:pathology*; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery
D002116:Calcitonin