Primary malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the thyroid

Cytological Features and Mimickers of Thyroid Gland Sarcomas: A Case-Based Study

Sarcomas of thyroid glands represent a distinctive subset of rare and perplexing anomaly that present a challenges in the field of thyroid pathology. Thyroid sarcomas, primary or secondary, are exceptionally rare with only a handful of case reports documented so far. The challenges lie in the fact that certain primary thyroid malignancies of epithelial origin may exhibit spindle cell morphology, making them difficult to differentiate from thyroid sarcomas. Despite the morphological similarities, discerning between these entities is crucial due to their distinct treatment and management implications. This report documents a series of unusual types of sarcoma in the thyroid gland. The aim is to explore the peculiarities of these lesions, the diagnostic challenges faced as well to study the potential implications for both clinicians and patients.

Global frequency and distribution of head and neck sarcomas in adulthood: a systematic review

PURPOSE

Head and neck sarcomas (HNS) constitute a rare and heterogeneous cancer entity. Management remains a challenge due their rarity and different biological behaviour among tens of subtypes. This systematic review aimed to describe HNS global frequency and distribution in adulthood.

METHODS

A systematic review was performed using PICOTS search strategies for qualitative question and it was written in accordance with PRISMA 2020 Statement. 70,653 publications were identified, and 15 variables were evaluated for a total of 2428 patients.

RESULTS

We identified 47 studies from 21 different countries from 5 different continents. Most of studies (83.3%) were performed in single institutions and America and Asia overruled for number of papers included (21 and 10, respectivelly). Osteosarcoma was more frequent, followed by chondrosarcoma, angiosarcoma and malignant fibrous histiocytoma. Early stage accounted for almost 80% of cases; advanced stage prevailed in developing countries. 1783 patients (90.1%) underwent surgery and 780 (39.4%) had adjuvant therapy. 50.8% of patients experienced tumour recurrence and the lowest mortality rate was reported in Europe (29.9%).

CONCLUSIONS

HNS holds a relative poor prognosis possibly explained by the heterogeneity of the disease. Treatment of HNS has shown to be highly diverse among different countries, underlining the importance of uniformed treatment guidelines to achieve better patient management and to improve survival outcomes.

Challenging Case of Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer With Unusual Clinical and Histological Features: A Diagnostic Dilemma With Undifferentiated Pleomorphic Sarcoma

Thyroid cancer is a common malignancy worldwide, and its incidence is increasing rapidly, especially in women. In the majority of cases, it presents solely with a palpable neck swelling. Less commonly, the disease manifests with symptoms of advanced stages, such as superior vena cava (SVC) obstruction and indications of recurrent laryngeal nerve invasion. Anaplastic thyroid cancer is a rare variant of thyroid cancer and is considered to have one of the poorest prognoses, and its diagnosis and treatment are challenging. On the other hand, undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma is a differential diagnosis with many clinical and histological similarities, which can only be confirmed through immunohistochemical studies. We herein report a challenging case of a 69-year-old female patient who presented with obstructive symptoms, diagnosed with anaplastic thyroid cancer exhibiting unusual clinical and histological features.

Primary Undifferentiated Pleomorphic Thyroid Sarcoma Presenting as Superior Vena Cava Syndrome: A Case Report

Primary thyroid sarcomas (PTS) are an incredibly uncommon type of thyroid cancer. Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcomas of the thyroid (UPS-T) are extremely rare subtypes of thyroid sarcoma with no defined cell differentiation. Here, we report the case of a 60-year-old female with a two-year history of hypothyroidism who presented to our hospital with productive cough, dyspnea, and diffuse facial edema for two weeks. Her chest computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a large anterior mediastinal mass and multiple bilateral pulmonary nodules. Her thyroid ultrasound showed two hypoechoic nodules, while a CT-venogram of the right upper extremity showed superior vena cava and the right brachiocephalic vein obstruction, which was relieved with angioplasty. A biopsy of the anterior mediastinal mass showed poorly differentiated pleomorphic thyroid sarcoma. The patient was not a candidate for inpatient chemo- or radiotherapy because of her overall medical condition. One week later, she developed worsening respiratory failure, was intubated and transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU), where she passed away two days later.

Comprehensive guidance on the diagnosis and management of primary mesenchymal tumours of the thyroid gland

Most primary thyroid tumours are of epithelial origin. Primary thyroid mesenchymal tumours are rare but are being increasingly detected. A vast majority of thyroid mesenchymal tumours occur between the fourth and seventh decades of life, presenting as progressively enlarging thyroid nodules that often yield non-diagnostic results or spindle cells on fine needle aspiration biopsy. Surgery is the preferred mode of treatment, with adjuvant chemoradiotherapy used for malignant thyroid mesenchymal tumours. Benign thyroid mesenchymal tumours have excellent prognosis, whereas the outcome of malignant thyroid mesenchymal tumours is variable. Each thyroid mesenchymal tumour is characterised by its unique histopathology and immunohistochemistry. Because of the rarity and aggressive nature of malignant thyroid mesenchymal tumours, a multidisciplinary team-based approach should ideally be used in the management of these tumours. Comprehensive guidelines on the management of thyroid mesenchymal tumours are currently lacking. In this Review, we provide a detailed description of thyroid mesenchymal tumours, their clinical characteristics and tumour behaviour, and provide recommendations for the optimal management of these tumours.

Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma of the thyroid: A case report and ƚiterature review

This report describes a patient who presented with a large thyroid nodule and compressive symptoms. Immunohistochemical staining showed diffuse marked reactivity for vimentin and focal reactivity for CD68 and Ki-67 that is compatible with primary undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma of the thyroid. This report emphasizes and discusses extremely rare thyroid cancer type.

Primary undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma of the thyroid: A case report and review of the literature

RATIONALE

Primary undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma is extremely rare in the thyroid, and can be easily misdiagnosed as anaplastic thyroid cancer.

PATIENT CONCERNS

We present a case of a 71-year-old woman who presented with a rapidly growing painless mass in the neck.

DIAGNOSES-INTERVENTIONS-OUTCOMES

Computed tomography showed a large hypointense mass with hyperdense areas involving whole of the right lobe of thyroid gland and fine-needle aspiration cytology found a few atypical cells. Surgical exploration was performed subsequently and frozen section showed malignant tumor. Therefore, a total thyroidectomy, central, and bilateral lateral neck dissection were performed and adjuvant radiotherapy of 60 Gy was administered. The patient was alive and had no recurrence at 6-month follow-up.

LESSONS

Although primary undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma in the thyroid is extremely rare, patients who presented with a rapidly growing painless mass in the neck should be considered and it is essential to excise the tumor completely as soon as possible.

Primary Malignant Fibrous Histiocytoma of the Thyroid: Two Case Reports and Review of the Literature

Primary malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the thyroid is an uncommon malignancy of the thyroid. Because it is rare, fewer than 20 cases have been reported in the literature, and the sonographic features of only 2 cases have been reported between the 1980s and 2014. Here we report 2 cases of primary malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the thyroid with an emphasis on the sonographic findings, and we review the published literature.

Primary Sarcomas of Thyroid Gland-Series of Three Cases with Brief Review of Spindle Cell Lesions of Thyroid

Primary Malignant Fibrous Histiocytoma (MFH-T) and Leiomyosarcoma (LMS-T) of the thyroid gland are extremely rare tumors. Very few cases have been reported in the literature. Both entities occur more commonly in women than men. The closest clinical and histological differential diagnosis is anaplastic carcinoma of thyroid. We present three cases of rare primary sarcomas of thyroid gland. Case-1 was a 63-year-old woman and Case-2 was a 52-year-old woman. Both of them presented with a rapidly increasing thyroid mass clinically mimicking anaplastic carcinoma (AC-T). Both the patients developed pulmonary metastasis and succumbed to the illness soon after the diagnosis of MFH-T was made. Case 3 was 65-year-old woman with neck swelling since six months diagnosed as LMS-T. The present communication adds three new cases to the literature on sarcomas of thyroid gland with an emphasis on differential diagnosis of spindle cell lesions of thyroid. MFH-T and LMS-T needs to be differentiated from AC-T, metastatic sarcomas, spindle cell variant of medullary carcinoma, synovial sarcoma, fibrosarcoma; final diagnosis rests on histopathology and immunohistochemistry.

Imaging findings of thyroidal sarcoma

From 1997 to 2013, 8849 patients with several disorders of the thyroid were treated in our surgical department. In nine patients (0.1%), primary thyroid sarcoma (PTS) was diagnosed. In eight patients, PTS manifested as a thyroid mass (range, 25-90 mm). In one case, a global enlargement of the thyroid was seen. Clinically, all patients presented with neck swelling. On ultrasound, PTS was predominantly hypoechoic. On computed tomography, the sarcomas were hypodense. On magnetic resonance imaging, PTS had inhomogeneous signal increase on T2-weighted images and signal decrease on T1-weighted images with inhomogeneous enhancement.

Undifferentiated sarcoma of the thyroid in a child

The most common malignant tumor of the thyroid is papillary carcinoma. Sarcoma of the thyroid is encountered very rarely; its therapy is complex and poses significant problems due to the problematic location of the tumor. A 14-year-old female was diagnosed with undifferentiated sarcoma of the thyroid and received combined therapy comprising surgery, chemo- and radiotherapy without significant side effects. This case underlines the fact that undifferentiated thyroid sarcoma may be a diagnostic possibility in children with malignant masses of the neck and may be successfully treated with modern therapeutic strategies.