title: Over-expression of c-kit in a primary leiomyosarcoma of the thyroid gland.
abstract: Primary leiomyosarcoma of the thyroid gland is rare. In this paper, we report a case of high-grade leiomyosarcoma of the thyroid gland in a 43-year-old man. Lung metastasis was also noted in this patient. Despite of aggressive surgical treatment, the patient died of uncontrolled local recurrent disease 6 months after the initial operation. Immunohistochemical studies showed the tumor cells were positive for c-kit proto-oncogene product. Imatinib mesylate was used as a post-operative adjuvant treatment but the response was poor. The role of tyrosine kinase inhibitors on the treatment of thyroid leiomyosarcomas is still unclear because this is the first report of c-kit over-expression in such tumors. Nevertheless, our results show that c-kit over-expression might not be an indicator of good response to imatinib mesylate treatment in thyroid leiomyosarcomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: An-Shiou
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Day
authors.forename: Pei-Jen
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Lou
authors.forename: Wei-Chou
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Chi-Chun
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003287:Contrast Media; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D007890:Leiomyosarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D037981:Neck Dissection; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000378:metabolism*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA