What is unique about anaplastic thyroid carcinoma?
Anaplastic thyroid cancer is one of the fastest growing and most aggressive of all cancers. It is also known as undifferentiated thyroid cancer because the cells do not look or behave like typical thyroid cells.
What is anaplastic carcinoma thyroid?
Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma, also known as undifferentiated thyroid carcinoma, is a rare, highly aggressive malignant tumor accounting for 2 to 3 percent of all thyroid gland neoplasms. Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma continues to be one of the most deadly diseases worldwide and carries a very poor prognosis.
What causes anaplastic carcinoma?
The main risk factors for anaplastic cancer include an age greater than 65, history of radiation exposure to the chest or neck, and/or a long-standing goiter (i.e. enlarged thyroid). Unfortunately, anaplastic thyroid cancer is one of the most aggressive cancers in humans and is often lethal.
Is anaplastic thyroid cancer a sarcoma?
Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC), also known as anaplastic thyroid carcinoma, is an aggressive form of thyroid cancer characterized by uncontrolled growth of cells in the thyroid gland….
| Anaplastic thyroid cancer | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma, ATC |
| Microscopic image of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. H&E stain. |
What percentage of thyroid cancers are anaplastic?
Only 1-2% of thyroid cancers are anaplastic, but the disease contributes to 14–50% of the mortality with a median survival of 3 to 5 months. Most patients diagnosed with this disease are 65 years of age or older. The incidence of anaplastic thyroid cancer is decreasing worldwide.
Is Anaplasia benign or malignant?
Malignant neoplasms that are composed of undifferentiated cells are said to be anaplastic. Lack of cellular differentiation (or anaplasia) is considered a hallmark of cancer.
What does the term Anaplasia mean?
The term anaplasia means “to form backward,” which implies dedifferentiation (or loss of the structural and functional differentiation) of normal cells during tumorigenesis. From: Molecular Pathology, 2009.
Where does anaplastic thyroid cancer spread first?
Anaplastic thyroid cancer certainly can spread into the lymph nodes of the neck. In fact, at least 90% of anaplastic thyroid cancers will have spread to neck lymph nodes on their initial presentation.
Does anaplastic mean malignant?
Is anaplastic malignant?
Anaplastic carcinoma is a general term for a malignant neoplasm arising from the uncontrolled proliferation of transformed cells of epithelial origin, or showing some epithelial characteristics, but that reveal no cytological or architectural features associated with more differentiated tumors, such as the glandular …