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Lymphoepithelial lesion in the thyroid. A non-specific histological finding.
1Department of Pathology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain.
Pathology, Research and Practice
|March 1, 1991
Summary
Lymphoepithelial lesions (LEL) are common in thyroid lymphoma but also appear in other thyroid diseases. Diagnosis of thyroid lymphoma requires additional histological evidence beyond LEL presence.
Area of Science:
- Pathology
- Oncology
- Immunohistochemistry
Background:
- Lymphoepithelial lesions (LEL) are observed in thyroid tissue.
- The diagnostic specificity of LEL for thyroid lymphoma is uncertain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the diagnostic specificity of lymphoepithelial lesions (LEL) in thyroid lymphoma.
- To differentiate LEL in malignant lymphoma from other thyroid conditions.
Main Methods:
- Conventional pathological examination of thyroid tissues.
- Immunohistochemical analysis using antibodies for epithelial cells (CAM 5.2) and leukocytes (LCA, pan-T, pan-B).
- Study included patients with Hashimoto's disease, papillary carcinoma, Graves' disease, and thyroid lymphoma.
Main Results:
- Lymphoepithelial lesions (LEL) were present in all studied cases, including lymphomas and other thyroid diseases.
- LEL appeared focally around tumors but multifocally in Hashimoto's, Graves' disease, and lymphoma.
- In malignant lymphoma, LEL was associated with diffuse parenchymal destruction by tumor cells.
Conclusions:
- Lymphoepithelial lesions (LEL) lack diagnostic specificity for thyroid lymphoma.
- The presence of LEL alone is insufficient for diagnosing malignant lymphoma.
- Histological findings beyond LEL are crucial for accurate thyroid lymphoma diagnosis.