HURTHLE CELL TUMORS

Objectives. - a) To provide a clinicopathological profile of Hurthle c ell neoplasms (HCT) in our experience. b) To evaluate if there are any differences in the clinical or morphological features between three H CT categories :benign, malignant and indeterminate. c) To examine the role of the clinical and morphological features in predicting the beha vior of these neoplasms. Methods. - We reviewed the clinical reports o f all patients with a histological diagnosis of HCT at our Hospital be tween 1981 and 1996. The final study group consisted of 25 cases. The neoplasms were divided into three categories on the basis of presence and degree of capsular and vascular invasion, marked nuclear atypia, t umour necrosis and pattern of growth. A series of clinical parameters were evaluated. Results. - Of the 25 tumors, 52 % were morphologically classified as benign, 8 % as indeterminate and 40 % as malignant. Fol low-up ranged from 10 months to 14.8 years or until death (average 3.8 years). There were four local recurrences (20 %), three in the malign ant group (30 %) and one in the benign group (7.6 %) (p=0.15). One pat ient presented metastases and died because of tumor during the follow- up. Apart from capsular and vascular invasion and some aspects of ther apy, no significant differences were found in the clinical and histolo gical parameters analyzed between the three histological groups or bet ween the groups with or without recurrence. Conclusion. - We did not f ind any clinical or morphological parameter which can predict recurren ce among these tumors. Our study further establishes the controversial issues surrounding the biological behavior of Hurthle cell neoplasms.