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Updated: Jun 7, 2026
05:39
Spontaneous Murine Model of Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer
Published on: February 3, 2023
Follicular thyroid neoplasm: clinicopathologic features suggesting malignancy.
Annukka Heikkilä1, Päivi Siironen, Jaana Hagström
1Department of Pathology, Haartman Institute, University of Helsinki and HUSLAB, Helsinki, Finland.
Summary
Malignant thyroid follicular neoplasms are difficult to diagnose preoperatively. High proliferation index (PI) and large tumor size predict malignancy and worse prognosis in these common thyroid tumors.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Oncology
- Pathology
Background:
- Thyroid follicular neoplasms are common, with malignancy defined by invasion.
- Preoperative diagnosis of thyroid cancer is challenging.
- Poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma (PDTC) classification is recent, with unknown incidence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate predictors of malignancy in thyroid follicular neoplasms.
- To identify prognostic factors for thyroid carcinoma.
- To determine the incidence of PDTC in an unselected cohort.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 356 thyroid follicular neoplasms (1990-2006).
- Inclusion of follicular carcinomas, atypical adenomas, oxyphilic adenomas, and conventional follicular adenomas.
- Evaluation of proliferation index (PI) using MIB-1, tumor size, age, and cell type.
Main Results:
- Five tumors (13% of carcinomas) were reclassified as PDTC.
- High PI (p<0.001), large tumor size (p<0.001), and older age (p=0.006) predicted malignancy.
- High PI indicated worse prognosis in malignant tumors.
Conclusions:
- Malignancy probability increases in male patients with large, oxyphilic follicular neoplasms.
- PI evaluation is crucial for identifying PDTC with poor prognosis.
- Further research is needed to understand PDTC incidence and management.
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