Sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia of the thyroid glands: A case report with clinical manifestation of recurrent neck mass

Sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia (SMECE) is a recently recognized malignant neoplasm of the thyroid gland. About 14 cases of SMEC E have been reported and this is the first reported case in Korea, A 57-yea r-old woman presented with right neck mass for 20 years. Total thyroidectom y was performed under the impression of thyroid carcinoma, The resected thy roid gland showed a poorly circumscribed hard mass, Histologically, the tum or consisted of solid nests of large atypical cells with dense fibrous stro ma. The tumor cells showed squamoid appearance with abundant eosinophilic c ytoplasm. There were also rare mucin-containing cells within the nests. Wit hin the hyalinized stroma, numerous eosinophils were found. The surrounding thyroid parenchyma displayed Hashimoto's thyroiditis. There was metastasis in a regional lymph node, Two years after initial surgery, she underwent a modified radical neck dissection due to recurrent neck mass. After the rad iation therapy for eight weeks, laryngectomy and esophagectomy were perform ed clue to a recurrent carcinoma in the esophageal wall. We report an addit ional case of SMECE, with metastasis to regional lymph nodes and esophagus. The tumor appears to be more aggressive than previously reported and a cor rect diagnosis can be rendered by just examining the metastatic lesions.