Thyroid Follicular Carcinoma

  • Thyroid Follicular Carcinoma is a type of malignant neoplasm of the thyroid gland and is derived from the thyroid follicular epithelial cell. Follicular carcinomas are often associated with repeated bouts of iodine deficiency resulting in nodular endemic goiters.
  • Histologically, thyroid follicular carcinomas can be well-demarcated or infiltrative. Generally, cells form small, uniform, mini-thyroid follicles although in some cases neoplasm may be less well-differentiated.
Clinical Consequences
  • Thyroid Follicular Carcinomas usually presents as a solitary nodule in neck. Neoplastic cells are usually non-functional and thus do not cause dysregulation of thyroid hormone levels although cases of functional follicular carcinomas do exist. Carcinomatous cells are malignant and often undergo hematogenous metastasis.