Fine needle aspiration cytology of the oxyphil variant of papillary carcinoma of the thyroid. A report of three cases.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: A number of histologic variants of papillary carcinoma of the thyroid have been described, including an oxyphil cell subtype (OVPC). Few OVPC cases have been detailed cytologically. CASES Smears prepared from aspiration biopsies, as well as the corresponding histologic sections and clinical histories, were reviewed for three cases. Two patients had asymptomatic thyroid tumors, and the third developed neck tumors after thyroid cancer surgery. All smears revealed scattered papillary groups and monolayered sheets. The large, neoplastic cells had abundant, granular cytoplasm and eccentrically placed nuclei. Nuclear grooves and intranuclear inclusions were variably present. Psammoma bodies and colloid were not identified. Histologically the tumors consisted predominantly of oxyphil cells arranged in papillary patterns and with nuclear features of usual papillary carcinoma (UPC). CONCLUSION: OVPC can be diagnosed in smears composed predominantly of large oxyphil cells but showing features associated with UPC and can be cytologically distinguished from follicular oxyphilic tumors and UPC.