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Review
. 2016 Nov-Dec;82(6):715-721.
doi: 10.1016/j.bjorl.2015.11.020. Epub 2016 Mar 29.

Thyroid leiomyosarcoma: presentation of two cases and review of the literature

Mehmet İlhan Şahin  1 , Alperen Vural  2 , İmdat Yüce  1 , Sedat Çağlı  1 , Kemal Deniz  3 , Ercihan Güney  1
Affiliations
Review

Thyroid leiomyosarcoma: presentation of two cases and review of the literature

Mehmet İlhan Şahin et al. Braz J Otorhinolaryngol. 2016 Nov-Dec.

Abstract
in English, Portuguese

Introduction: Leiomyosarcoma is a tumor which is rarely seen in the thyroid gland. The diagnosis may be difficult and the treatment is controversial.

Objective: The objective of the study is to review the literature about a rare malignant disease of the thyroid gland which has high mortality.

Methods: Two cases of thyroid leiomyosarcoma are presented and the previous 23 cases in the current literature are reviewed.

Results: A total of 25 cases of thyroid leiomyosarcoma are reviewed; the most common complaint was rapidly growing anterior neck mass, and ten of the 25 patients had distant metastasis at the initial admission. Fifteen of the 25 patients died with the disease in the first 12 months after the diagnosis.

Conclusion: The differential diagnosis of thyroid leiomyosarcoma is important and should be performed with other malignancies of the gland, especially with anaplastic carcinoma. The prognosis is poor and there is no consensus regarding the treatment.

Introdução: Leiomiossarcoma é um tumor raramente observado na glândula tireoide. O diagnóstico pode ser difícil e o tratamento é controverso.

Objetivo: O objetivo do estudo foi revisar a literatura sobre um tumor raro da glândula tireoide que possui alto índice de mortalidade.

Método: Dois casos de leiomiossarcoma da tireoide são apresentados, e os 23 casos anteriores relatados na literatura atual foram revisados.

Resultados: Um total de 25 casos de leiomiossarcoma da tireoide foi revisado. A queixa mais comum foi o rápido crescimento de um tumor cervical anterior; 10 dos 25 pacientes apresentavam metástases distantes no momento da admissão. Quinze dos 25 pacientes foram a óbito nos primeiros 12 meses após o diagnóstico.

Conclusão: O diagnóstico diferencial de leiomiossarcoma da tireoide é importante e deve ser feito com outras doenças malignas da glândula, especialmente carcinoma anaplásico. O prognóstico é ruim e não há consenso em relação ao tratamento.

Keywords: Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma; Carcinoma anaplásico da tireoide; Leiomiossarcoma; Leiomyosarcoma; Sarcomas; Thyroid; Tiroide.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
CT scan of the first patient, showing a nodular mass with dystrophic calcification.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Multiple intraparenchymal and subpleural metastatic nodules in the thorax CT of the first patient.
Figure 3
Figure 3
(a, b) Photomicrograph of Case 1, showing spindle cell tumor arranged in fascicular pattern with eosinophilic cytoplasm (hematoxylin and eosin ×100, ×400). (c) Tumor cells showing diffuse actin positivity (×200) and (d) focal desmin positivity (×400).
Figure 4
Figure 4
CT scan of the second patient, showing an infiltrative mass in the right thyroid lobe. Tracheotomy tube is also seen in the section.
Figure 5
Figure 5
(a, b) Photomicrograph of Case 2, showing spindle cell tumor similar to Case 1 (hematoxylin and eosin ×100, ×200). (c) Tumor cells showing diffuse actin positivity (×200) and (d) focal desmin positivity (×400).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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