Thyroid carcinoma with rhabdoid phenotype: Case report with review of the literature.

OBJECTIVE: This paper aims to comprehensively document a rare case of thyroid carcinoma with rhabdoid phenotype and literature review of this disease.

METHODS: A 59-year-old man presented with a rapidly enlarging, painful left lateral cervical mass. CT scan revealed a tumor over the left the thyroid gland with multiple left cervical lymphadenopathy over left level II-IV and level VI. Fine-needle aspiration cytology reported carcinoma, type undetermined. Total thyroidectomy with central compartment and left neck dissection was performed.

RESULTS: Pathology report showed rhabdoid phenotype of thyroid carcinoma. Final staging was pT4N1M1.

CONCLUSIONS: Although WHO classification of thyroid tumor histology does not define this disease entity, few cases were reported. In the last 20 years, English literature review revealed only 12 cases about thyroid carcinoma with rhabdoid phenotype. Major treatment of thyroid carcinoma with rhabdoid phenotype is surgery, and the benefit of adjuvant therapies as radiotherapy or systemic chemotherapy is not clear. The prognosis of thyroid carcinoma with rhabdoid phenotype is extremely poor, with mean survival of only 6 months.