Papillary thyroid carcinoma tall cell subtype (PTC-TC) and high-grade differentiated thyroid carcinoma tall cell phenotype (HGDTC-TC) have different clinical behaviour: A retrospective study of 1456 patients Journal Article


Authors: Ghossein, R.; Katabi, N.; Dogan, S.; Shaha, A. R.; Tuttle, R. M.; Fagin, J. A.; Ganly, I.; Xu, B.
Article Title: Papillary thyroid carcinoma tall cell subtype (PTC-TC) and high-grade differentiated thyroid carcinoma tall cell phenotype (HGDTC-TC) have different clinical behaviour: A retrospective study of 1456 patients
Abstract: Aims: Papillary thyroid carcinoma, tall cell subtype (PTC-TC) is a potentially aggressive histotype. The latest World Health Organisation (WHO) classification introduced a novel class of tumours; namely, high-grade differentiated thyroid carcinoma (HGDTC), characterised by elevated mitotic count and/or necrosis, which can exhibit a tall cell phenotype (HGDTC-TC). Methods and results: We analysed the clinical outcomes in a large retrospective cohort of 1456 consecutive thyroid carcinomas with a tall cell phenotype, including PTC-TC and HGDTC-TC. HGDTC-TC is uncommon, accounting for 5.3% (77 of 1379) of carcinomas with tall cell morphology. HGDTC-TC was associated with significantly older age, larger tumour size, angioinvasion, gross extrathyroidal extension, higher AJCC pT stage, positive resection margin and nodal metastasis (P < 0.05). Compared with PTC-TC, HGDTC was associated with a significantly decreased DSS, LRDFS and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS; P < 0.001). The 10-year DSS was 72 and 99%, the 10-year LRDFS was 61 and 92% and the 10-year DMFS was 53 and 97%, respectively, for HGDTC-TC and PTC-TC. On multivariate analysis, the classification (HGDTC-TC versus PTC-TC) was an independent adverse prognostic factor for DSS, LRDF, and DMFS when adjusted for sex, age, angioinvasion, margin status, AJCC pT and pN stage. Conclusions: Compared with PTC-TC, HGDTC-TC is associated with adverse clinicopathological features, a higher frequency of TERT promoter mutations (59% in HGDTC-TC versus 34% in PTC-TC) and incurs a significantly worse prognosis. HGDTC-TC is an independent prognostic factor for carcinoma with tall cell morphology. This validates the concept of HGDTC and the importance of tumour necrosis and high mitotic count for accurate diagnosis and prognosis of differentiated thyroid carcinomas. © 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Keywords: papillary thyroid carcinoma; prognosis; braf<sup>v600e</sup>; high-grade differentiated thyroid carcinoma; tall cell subtype
Journal Title: Histopathology
Volume: 84
Issue: 7
ISSN: 0309-0167
Publisher: Wiley Blackwell  
Date Published: 2024-06-01
Start Page: 1130
End Page: 1138
Language: English
DOI: 10.1111/his.15157
PUBMED: 38528726
PROVIDER: scopus
PMCID: PMC11827125
DOI/URL:
Notes: Article -- MSK corresponding author is Bin Xu -- Source: Scopus
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MSK Authors
  1. James A Fagin
    181 Fagin
  2. Ronald A Ghossein
    484 Ghossein
  3. Ashok R Shaha
    698 Shaha
  4. Robert M Tuttle
    483 Tuttle
  5. Nora Katabi
    305 Katabi
  6. Snjezana Dogan
    189 Dogan
  7. Ian Ganly
    431 Ganly
  8. Bin   Xu
    228 Xu