Warthin-like variant of mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the parotid gland

@#A 57-year-old woman with a 2-year history of a left infra-auricular mass with no associated symptoms presented with a 6.0 cm ´ 4.0 cm ´ 3.0 cm firm, non-tender, movable mass. No imaging was done. Fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) revealed sheets of epithelial cells that had abundant dense grayish-blue cytoplasm in a mucinous background with abundant lymphocytes (Figure 1), suggestive of salivary gland neoplasm with oncocytic or oncocytoid features (Category IVB, Salivary Gland Neoplasm of Uncertain Malignant Potential).Total parotidectomy revealed a 4.3 X 3.2 X 3.0 cm deep lobe lesion with a tan-grey to dark brown, smooth and dull external surface. Cut sections showed a cream-white to pink, lobulated, heterogenous cut surfaces. Microscopically, the lesion was unencapsulated with poorly demarcated borders. The neoplastic cells were arranged in haphazard sheets and surrounded by abundant lymphocytes. The tumor cells had abundant eosinophilic and granular cytoplasm compatible with oncocytes with mild to moderate nuclear atypia. There were occasional cystic spaces that contained mucin though mucocytes were not readily apparent. (Figure 2) Necrosis, perineural and lymphovascular space invasion or anaplasia were not evident.

Warthin-like and classic papillary thyroid cancer have similar clinical presentation and prognosis

ABSTRACT Objective Warthin-like papillary thyroid cancer (WL-PTC) is an uncommon variant of PTC, usually associated with lymphocytic thyroiditis. Scarce evidence suggests that WL-PTC has similar clinical presentation to classic PTC (C-PTC), with no studies comparing risks of recurrence and response to treatment between both variants. Our objective was to describe the clinical presentation and prognosis of WL-PTC and compare it to C-PTC. Subjects and methods Retrospective analysis of a prospective cohort, including 370 (96%) patients with C-PTC and 17 (4%) with WL-PTC, consecutively treated with total thyroidectomy with or without RAI, followed for at least 6 months. We compared clinical presentation, risk of mortality and recurrence, as well as response to treatment between both variants. Results Of the total cohort: 317 (82%) female, 38 ± 13.5 years, median follow-up 4 years (0.5-28.5); most of them stage I and low/intermediate risk of recurrence. We found no differences regarding clinical-pathological data and risk of recurrence. WL-PTC was associated with a higher rate of anti-thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb) (65% vs. 36%, p = 0.016) and lymphocytic thyroiditis (59% vs. 34%, p = 0.03). The rates of biochemical and structural incomplete responses were similar in both variants. WL-PTC had a lower rate of excellent response (23% vs. 54%, p = 0.01), which became non-significant when performing analysis by TgAb presence (50% vs. 67%, p = NS). Conclusions WL-CPT and C-CPT have similar clinical presentation and rate of recurrence. The lower rate of excellent response to treatment in WL-PTC is due to a higher frequency of TgAb. WL-PCT should not be considered an aggressive variant of PTC.

Preoperative Cytologic Diagnosis of Warthin-like Variant of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Warthin-like variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (WLV-PTC) is a relatively rare variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma with favorable prognosis. However, preoperative diagnosis using fine-needle aspiration (FNA) specimens is challenging especially with lymphocytic thyroiditis characterized by Hürthle cells and lymphocytic background. To determine a helpful cytological differential point, we compared WLV-PTC FNA findings with conventional papillary thyroid carcinoma with lymphocytic thyroiditis (PTC-LT) and conventional papillary thyroid carcinoma without lymphocytic thyroiditis (PTC) regarding infiltrating inflammatory cells and their distribution. Preoperative diagnosis or potential for WLV-PTC will be helpful for surgeons to decide the scope of operation. METHODS: Of the 8,179 patients treated for papillary thyroid carcinoma between January 2007 and December 2012, 16 patients (0.2%) were pathologically confirmed as WLV-PTC and four cases were available for cytologic review. For comparison, we randomly selected six PTC-LT cases and five PTC cases during the same period. The number of intratumoral and background lymphocytes, histiocytes, neutrophils, and the presence of giant cells were evaluated and compared using conventional smear and ThinPrep preparations. RESULTS: WLV-PTC showed extensive lymphocytic smear with incorporation of thyroid follicular tumor cell clusters and frequent histiocytes. WLV-PTC was associated with higher intratumoral and background lymphocytes and histiocytes compared with PTC-LT or PTC. The difference was more distinct in liquid-based cytology. CONCLUSIONS: The lymphocytic smear pattern and the number of inflammatory cells of WLV-PTC are different from those of PTC-LT or PTC and will be helpful for the differential diagnosis of WLV-PTC in preoperative FNA.

Carcinoma tiroideo papilar oncocítico variante Warthin-like tumor: caso clínico y revisión de la literatura / Oncocytic variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma with lymphocytic stroma (Warthin-like variant): report of one case

Recently, an oncocytic variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma with lymphocytic stroma, called Warthin like tumor, has been described. Its evolution is similar to the usual papillary carcinoma. We report a 61 years old female with a multinodular goiter and a predominant nodule in the right lobe. A fine needle aspiration biopsy was compatible with a papillary thyroid carcinoma. A total thyroidectomy was performed and the pathological examination revealed a Warthin tumor of 2.2 cm. The patient was treated posteriorly with radioiodine and after six months of follow up, there is no evidence of disease...

Clnicopathologic Features of Warthin-like Papillary Carcinoma of the Thyroid / 대한내분비외과학회지

PURPOSE: Warthin-like papillary carcinomawas named owing to its close histologic resemblance to a tumor encountered in salivary gland, and this tumor is a variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma. Among the variants of papillary thyroid carcinoma, the tall cell variant and diffuse sclerosing variant have more aggressive behavior than the classic papillary carcinoma. But Warthin-like papillary carcinoma arises in a background of thyroiditis and it behaves in an indolent fashion. Since then, a few case have reported in Korea. We report here on the clinicopathologic features of five cases of warthin-like papillary carcinoma. METHODS: From Jan. 1996 to Feb. 2008, five patients who were diagnosed with Warthin-like papillary thyroid carcinoma at YUMC were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: All 5 patients whose pathologic features were warthin- likepapillary thyroid carcinoma were women (age range: 34~60 years). The tumor size ranged from 0.6 to 2.4 cm. 3 tumors were confined to the thyroid, but 2 tumors had invaded the strap muscles. 3 of the 5 tumors arose in a background of lymphocytic thyroditis. Central nodal metastases were identified in 2 cases. But no lateral nodal or distant metastasis had occurred. The mean duration of follow- up was 16.5 months (range: 5~50 months). 1 patient died because of lung cancer, and there was no recurrence for the other 4 cases during the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Although the long-term follow-up data on patients with Warthin-like papillary carcinoma is not available, the clinicopathologic data does not show that Warthin-like papillary carcinoma is any more aggressive than the usual papillary carcinoma.