Poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma with pleomorphic giant cells—a case report

Poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma (PDTC) refers to a malignant tumour that displays an intermediate prognosis between well-differentiated carcinomas and anaplastic thyroid carcinomas (ATC). In the thyroid, pleomorphic giant cells are observed in ATC or in some non-neoplastic thyroid diseases. We described the case of a 43-year-old woman with a 34-mm nodule in her thyroid right lobe. Microscopic examination revealed an encapsulated tumour with a main solid growth pattern and extensive capsular invasion. Multiple images of angioinvasion were observed. There was neither necrosis nor inflammation. Most of the tumour cells were medium-sized and intermingled with pleomorphic giant tumour cells with bizarre features. The immunoprofile (keratins +, TTF1+, Pax 8+) proved their thyroid origin. By NGS, no molecular alteration was identified. The patient was treated by surgery and radioiodine therapy and she has no recurrence after a follow-up of 24 months. Our case meets all the histological criteria of the Turin proposal for PDTC but with pleomorphic giant cells and is very different from ATC according to clinical, histological and immunohistochemical features. Pleomorphic tumour giant cells in thyroid carcinomas could be present in PDTC and do not always represent dedifferentiation and more aggressive carcinoma, thyroid neoplasm.