Worrisome histologic alterations following fine-needle aspiration of the parathyroid.

Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is a procedure that is increasingly being performed. Artefacts occurring after FNA are reported to complicate the histological analysis of the tissue, mainly in the thyroid; WHAFFT (worrisome histologic alterations following FNA of thyroid) is well documented in the literature. The case of a male patient with hypercalcaemia who was subsequently found to have a nodule in the thyroid gland is reported here. He underwent FNA, followed by a total thyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy. The abnormality in the parathyroid gland showed worrisome histological changes that were suspicious of a malignant lesion, resembling the changes seen in the thyroid gland after FNA. Parathyroid cells were identified by a review of the previous FNA. The concept of WHAFFT, which can mimic the features of malignancy in the parathyroid gland, is therefore introduced.

Adenosquamous carcinoma of the pancreas with an acantholytic pattern together with osteoclast-like and pleomorphic giant cells.

A 45 year old man presented with abdominal pain, loss of appetite, and significant weight loss over a period of about four weeks. Imaging of the abdomen showed a mass in the region of the head of the pancreas. In view of the size of the mass and the clinical picture, a Whipple's procedure was performed. Histological evaluation of the pancreatic tumour showed an adenosquamous carcinoma (predominantly composed of squamous carcinoma), which was extensively infiltrative with perineural invasion and involvement of peripancreatic lymph nodes. Areas of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia grade III and merging of the squamous and adenocarcinoma components were evident. Unusual histological features that characterised this case included a pronounced acantholytic pattern within the squamous carcinoma component, and the presence of both osteoclastic and pleomorphic giant cells. Giant cells have not been documented previously in association with an adenosquamous carcinoma. Although an acantholytic pattern has been noted in squamous carcinomas in other sites, this is the first report of such a pattern in an adenosquamous carcinoma of the pancreas.

Cutaneous manifestations of thyroid cancer: a report of four cases and review of the literature.

Cutaneous metastases from thyroid carcinoma are rare. This report describes four cases of thyroid carcinoma metastatic to the skin. Two cases were medullary carcinoma and two were papillary thyroid carcinoma. In two cases, skin metastases were the presenting feature of the underlying thyroid carcinoma. Examination of the skin lesions by conventional light microscopy suggested the possibility of metastatic carcinoma and immunohistochemical tests confirmed the diagnosis. Subsequent investigations identified primary thyroid lesions. In two cases, the skin metastasis was the first evidence of the recurrence of known thyroid carcinoma. These cases identify a novel presentation of thyroid carcinoma.