ULTRASTRUCTURAL STUDY OF THYROID MEDULLARY CARCINOMA

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
This study deals with 11 cases of thyroid medullary carcinoma of which 7 were familial cases including 3 cases of Sipple''s syndrome and 4 cases of sporadic cases. There were also 2 cases of Cushing''s syndrome. In addition to the previously described English literature about human medullary carcinoma of the thyroid, the rod-shaped body with cristae and abundant glycogen particles in the cytoplasm, nuclear inclusion bodies of cytoplasmic invagination and microvilli at the surface membrane of gland formation were found in these cases. The mean and mode diameters of secretory granules of all familial cases with only calcitonin secretion were larger than those of the sporadic cases with ectopic ACTH and .beta.-MSH [melanocyte stimulating hormone] in addition to calcitonin secretion. Ultrastructural study of noncancerous follicles of grossly normal thyroid of 2 patients with early familial medullary carcinoma disclosed apparently increased C-cells which were not intrathyroidal metastases.