R. Chetty et al., SPINDLE EPITHELIAL TUMOR WITH THYMUS-LIKE ELEMENT (SETTLE) - THE PREDOMINANTLY MONOPHASIC VARIANT, Histopathology, 33(1), 1998, pp. 71-74
Aims: To describe two cases of spindle epithelial tumour with thymus-l
ike element (SETTLE) which are composed predominantly of spindle cells
. In addition, to highlight some unusual histological features in SETT
LE and discuss its separation from histological mimics. Methods and re
sults: The thyroid masses were in a 4-year-old boy and a 25-year-old m
ale. Both patients were euthyroid and were well except for thyromegaly
, The specimens were formalin fixed, and immunohistochemistry was perf
ormed on this material using a panel of antibodies following microwave
antigen retrieval, Morphologically, the dominant pattern was of sheet
s of spindle cells arranged in several patterns, There was mild pleomo
rphism and occasional mitoses. There were very small foci of squamous
epithelium and occasional ductular structures, The stroma was composed
of fibrous tissue and isolated areas of calcification were noted, The
spindle cells showed strong and diffuse immunoreactivity with AE1/3,
CAM5.2 and vimentin, Conclusion: We describe two cases of SETTLE that
are composed mainly of spindle cells and only a very focal ductular co
mponent. In addition, calcification was noted within the stroma in one
of the cases, These predominantly spindle examples of SETTLE must be
separated from synovial sarcoma, which is a more mitotically active, a
ggressive tumour displaying only patchy immunopositivity with epitheli
al markers.