UNDIFFERENTIATED CLEAR CELL THYROID-CARCINOMA - DIAGNOSTIC INTEREST OF ULTRASTRUCTURAL-STUDY

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 1  (1) , 95-98
Abstract
Optical microscopy and EM features of an undifferentiated clear cell carcinoma of the human thyroid are presented. Tumor cells have irregular, often multiple, nuclei, showing numerous mitosis. Diastase-digested PAS [periodic acid-Schiff] positive material is demonstrated in their cytoplasm. Numerous lymphocytes and plasma cells are present in the stroma. EM showed large cytoplasmic areas of monoparticular free glycogen, few lipid droplets, numerous desmosomes and some intercellular microvilli. Most cells contained varying amounts of tonofilament bundles suggesting a partial epidermoid differentiation. This atypical appearance is not described in metastases from clear cell carcinoma of kidney and may assist the primary nature of undifferentiated clear cell thyroid carcinoma.