HURTHLE CELL ADENOMA OF THE THYROID - IN 32 CONSECUTIVE CASES

Hurthle cell neoplasms of the thyroid gland are uncommon but potential ly lethal lesions, the treatment of which is controversial because of a lack of information about their biological and clinical behaviour. B ased on histological criteria Hurthle cell tumours cannot always be se parated accurately into benign and malignant. Unexpected evolutions wi th malignant late recurrence of an adenoma previously labelled as beni gn have been reported. The authors reviewed the clinical and pathologi cal features of 32 patients with Hurthle cell adenomas. The results su ggest that total thyroidectomy 'de principe' is not necessary and that some electron microscopy criteria are useful to understand the nature and to predict the biological deportment of Hurthle cell adenomas.