• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.123-127
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• 2004

Objectives: The tall cell variant is an uncommon variant and has been known as more aggressive form of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Owing to the rarity of these thyroid cancers, their clinical behavior remains incompletely understood. To elucidate the clinicopathologic characteristics of tall cell variant, we retrospectively reviewed our surgical experience of patients with tall cell variant. Methods: Between August 1993 and July 2004, a total of 11 consecutive patients who were pathologically diagnosed with tall cell variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma were enrolled in this study. All patients underwent total (8 cases) or subtotal thyroidectomy (3 cases) with central compartment node dissections. The lateral neck dissection was added in 6 patients. After the operation, neck ultrasound and serum thyroglobulin were checked regularly during the follow-up period. Results: The mean age of the patients was 56.6years (range, 30-74years) at the time of diagnosis. 3 patients were men, and 8 were women. The mean diameter of tumor was 3.7cm(range, 1.5-6.0cm), and 6 patients had lateral neck node metastasis. Extrathyroidal extension was seen in 5 patients (45%). Loco-regional recurrence was found in 2 patients (18%), and distant metastasis in 1 patient (9%). The 5-year disease free survival rate was 68%. Conclusion: The tall cell variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma is an uncommon disease. Clinicopathologic feature and prognosis of this disease show more aggressive behaviors than ordinary papillary thyroid carcinoma. More aggressive treatment and close follow-up should be undertaken in the tall cell variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.76-80
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• 1998

Generally, the papillary carcinoma generally has a favorable prognosis, and several variants of pathologic heterogeneity are recognized. Variants that are regarded as more aggressive are tall cell, columnar cell, and diffuse sclerosing types. Seventeen cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma showing clinically aggressive behavior, invading extrathyroidal structures, were retrospectively reviewed to evaluate the morphological variants of the tumors. Six of them were found to be pure papillary and nine were mixed types regarded as non-aggressive variants. Four cases were found to be tall cell variants, two cases of non-extrathryoidal invasion and two of extrathyroidal invasion regarded as aggressive variants. Our findings suggest that the prognosis of papillary carcinoma not always be based on its morphological variant and more attention should be given to other clinical parameters.

• 대한세포병리학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1993.06a
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• pp.20.1-20.1
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• 1993

• 대한세포병리학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1992.11a
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• pp.18.1-18.1
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• 1992

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.33-36
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• 2004

Papillary carcinoma of thyroid is the most common thyroid carcinoma carrying better prognosis than the other thyroid carcinoma. Among the variants in the papillary thyroid carcinoma, the tall cell variant and diffuse sclerosing variants have more aggressive behavior than the classic papillary carcinoma. Recently, a new variant of papillary carcinoma has been reported which was named warthin-like tumor of the thyroid because of its close histologic resemblance to a tumor encountered in the salivary gland, carrying favorable prognosis. Since then, in English literature, a few cases have been reported, but in Korea have not been reported yet. We report a case of warthin-like tumor of the thyroid. A 38 year-old woman who had neck mass, was administered for thyroid surgery due to suspicious thyroid cytology. Right total thyroidectomy and left subtotal thyroidectomy with central compartment node dissection was performed. Histologic diagnosis was made as a Warthin-like tumor of the thyroid.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.174-177
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• 2005

Skin metastasis from papillary thyroid carcinoma is extremely rare. Due to similar histopathologic features, it is difficult to differentiate skin metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma and some primary skin neoplasms without a clinical history. However, most of metastatic skin lesions showed a strong reactivity to the antithyroglobulin antibodies unlike primary skin neoplasms. Metastatic skin lesions must be completely removed and radiotherapy can be added. Investigators reported that prognosis of skin metastases from thyroid carcinoma is dismal and the average survival after it's diagnosis was only 19 months because distant metastases were often discovered at diagnosis of skin metastasis or during follow-up period. We report a case of skin metastasis from tall cell variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma. In our case, the anti thyroglobulin antibodies measured from cystic fluid from a skin lesion was more than 2000 IU/ml. Skin metastasis was diagnosed at 20 months after primary surgery for thyroid cancer and brain metastasis at 12 months after diagnosis of skin metastasis. Although skin metastasis is an ominous prognostic indicator in patients with thyroid carcinoma, a radical treatment for skin lesions and early diagnosis of distant metastasis could provide a chance to the patients to improve their survival.