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Warthin-like tumour papillary thyroid carcinoma

  • Case Report
  • Published:
Hellenic Journal of Surgery

Abstract

Aim-Background

With less than 100 cases reported in the English literature to date, Warthin-like tumour papillary thyroid carcinoma is a relatively uncommon variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). This term was first coined on the basis of its close morphological resemblance to the Warthin tumour that characteristically occurs in the salivary glands.We present a case of this uncommon variety of PTC, and through a brief literature review we describe the diagnostic challenges presented in distinguishing between several varieties of PTC and benign lesions to provide optimal treatment.

Case Report

A 48-year-old woman was referred to our department for surgical treatment of an enlarged goitre that had presented over the last year. Dominant nodule FNA revealed suspicion of a follicular neoplasm, and she was submitted to total thyroidectomy.

Results

Histopathology showed multifocal PTC on chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis ground. Left lobe foci of 0.3 cm follicular variant of PTC, 0.6 cm isthmus foci of Warthin-like tumour PTC and 1.5 cm of conventional PTC with extrathyroidal extension were reported.

Conclusion/Discussion

Previous studies showed prognosis to be similar to that for conventional PTC. Distinction between Hurthle cell tumours, tall cell and oncocytic variants of PTC or medullary carcinoma, or even lymphocytic thyroiditis and this entity, is intriguing and poses diagnostic difficulties. Data from new studies will reveal more on this uncommon tumour.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Surgical Department, Nicosia General Hospital, Nicosia, Cyprus

    Ch. Christoforides, Ch. Panaretou, Z. Christodoulou, M. Loizou, A. Chrysochos & Ch. Andreou

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  1. Ch. Christoforides
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  2. Ch. Panaretou
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  3. Z. Christodoulou
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  4. M. Loizou
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  5. A. Chrysochos
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  6. Ch. Andreou
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ch. Christoforides.

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Christoforides, C., Panaretou, C., Christodoulou, Z. et al. Warthin-like tumour papillary thyroid carcinoma. Hellenic J Surg 85, 197–201 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13126-013-0037-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13126-013-0037-1

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