A Case of Rhabdomyosarcoma Presenting a Rapidly Growing Thyroid Mass Showing Cytological Features Mimic Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma

Young Ju Jin; Hyung Gu Kim; Seong Keun Kwon

doi:10.11106/cet.2015.8.1.117

Journal List > J Korean Thyroid Assoc > v.8(1) > 1056581

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Jin, Kim, and Kwon: A Case of Rhabdomyosarcoma Presenting a Rapidly Growing Thyroid Mass Showing Cytological Features Mimic Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma

Original Article

Clin Exp Thyroidol 2015;8(1):117-120.

Published online: 4 May 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.11106/cet.2015.8.1.117

A Case of Rhabdomyosarcoma Presenting a Rapidly Growing Thyroid Mass Showing Cytological Features Mimic Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma

Young Ju Jin, Hyung Gu Kim, Seong Keun Kwon

Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

Correspondence: Seong Keun Kwon, MD, PhD, Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-744, Korea Tel: 82-2-2072-2440, Fax: 82-2-745-2387, E-mail: otolarynx@snuh.org

Received 22 September 2014 Accepted 20 October 2014

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

This is a case of a 30-year-old man who was referred to our hospital for evaluation of a rapidly growing tumor in the left thyroid gland. It was palpated 2 weeks ago. But it was growing fast. A 4×3 cm mass was palpated in the left thyroid gland. Our impression was anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. Computed tomography finding indicated a thyroid malignant tumor and cytology result suggested spindle cell neoplasm. A lower anterior neck mass was resected and final histopathological result turns out to be a rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS). Although cervical RMS is very rare in adults, it has to be included for the differential diagnosis for the rapidly growing mass at thyroid gland.

Keywords: Rhabdomyosarcoma, Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma

References

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Fig. 1.

CT scan showed a tumor occupying the left thyroid. The left thyroid was compressed by the tumor.

Fig. 2.

Intraoperative exposure. Mass (white arrow) was very closely attached to superior and posterior portion of left thyroid gland. However, it was separated well without invasion into adjacent tissue.

Fig. 3.

Pathological examination showing rhabdomyosarcoma. Numerous rhabdomyoblasts containing abundant eosinophilic cytoplasms and occasional strap cells (Hematoxylin & Eosin stain, ×400).

Fig. 4.

Immunohistochemical staining showing positivity for myogenin (×200).

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