Hyalinizing trabecular adenoma and papillary carcinoma of the thyroid gland express different cytokeratin patterns

It has recently been suggested that hyalinizing trabecular adenoma of the t hyroid is an encapsulated variant of papillary carcinoma because of certain similarities of their histology, the occasional occurrence of both tumors in the same gland, and their similar pattern of expression of cytokeratins, including staining for cytokeratin 19. To investigate this notion further, we examined immunocytochemically the expression of a series of cytokeratin s in 12 hyalinizing trabecular adenomas and six papillary carcinomas. Hyali nizing trabecular adenoma showed no or minimal reactivity for cytokeratin 1 9, whereas papillary carcinoma was almost always strongly reactive. Also, h yalinizing trabecular adenoma showed no staining for high-molecular-weight (HMW) cytokeratin, whereas papillary carcinoma was strongly positive. Thus, there are different patterns of cytokeratin 19 and HMW cytokeratin express ion in hyalinizing trabecular adenoma and papillary carcinoma. The findings do not support the suggestion that hyalinizing trabecular adenoma is an en capsulated variant of papillary carcinoma.