Hurthle cell carcinoma: expanded view

The definition, rarity, and natural history of Hurthel Cell Cancer [HCC] is not well understood, which makes the diagnosis and management of this cancer a controversial issue. The objective of this study is to report a series of patients with HCC and to discuss the clinical behavior along with the prognostic indicators of this disease in an attempt to make more accurate suggestions for treatment. We conducted a retrospective study reporting on all patients with HCC observed at Jordan University Hospital [JUH] and King Abdullah University Hospital [KAUH], during the period from January 2001 to December 2008. Data were collected, analyzed and compared with different results published in the literature. There were 56 Patients with Hurthle Cell Tumor [HCT], diagnosed on fine needle aspiration, of those; 16 were diagnosed as hurthle cell carcinoma by histopathology. All patients with HCC were treated by total thyroidectomy. Postoperatively, all patients with HCC ware treated with radioactive idodine except for 3 patients. Follow-up period for all patients with HCC ranged from 6 to 84 months. No recurrence or distant metastasis were documented during the study period. We could not find higher incidence of local recurrence, distant metastatis or mortality rates compared to literature. HCC seems to have favorable outcome in our part of the world when treated with total thyroidectomy