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Angiosarcoma of the thyroid

  • Head and Neck
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Abstract

Hemangiosarcoma of the thyroid gland is a very rare entity. The therapy of this tumor is difficult because of its locally aggressive and destructive behavior with a high recurrence rate. We report a case of 60-year-old man with history of 1 month rapidly enlarging neck mass in the thyroid region. Ultrasound examination and CT scan showed resistance arising from the left thyroid lobe. FNAC revealed necrotic tumor mass without any cytological specification. Because of the clinical findings, a total thyroidectomy was indicated. The surgery was complicated by invasion of the tumor mass into the surrounding tissues. Therefore, only left side hemithyroidectomy was performed. Histopathology including histochemistry proved positive staining for Factor VIII, Fasciin, and CD31 in tumor cells. In this case, adjuvant oncological treatment was planned, but the patient died because of massive bleeding from the tumor mass. The histological diagnosis of thyroid hemangiosarcoma is mostly difficult. The treatment of the first choice is radical surgery. If the tumor cannot be treated by surgery, then radiotherapy, eventually chemotherapy is indicated. The prognosis is not favorable.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the IGA MZ CR No. NR9049-3. Many thanks to Daniel Drtik, M.D., from the ENT Department, Hospital Most, Czech Republic and Ivan Cech, M.D., from the Department of Radiology, Hospital Most, Czech Republic for providing CT imaging.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Faculty Hospital Motol, Charles University, V Uvalu 84, 150 06, Prague 5, Czech Republic

    Petra Kalitova, Jan Plzak & Jaromir Astl

  2. 1st Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Physiology, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic

    Petra Kalitova

  3. 1st Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Anatomy, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic

    Jan Plzak

  4. 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Center for Cell Therapy and Tissue Repair, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic

    Jan Plzak

  5. Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Faculty Hospital Motol, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic

    Roman Kodet

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  1. Petra Kalitova
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  2. Jan Plzak
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  3. Roman Kodet
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  4. Jaromir Astl
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Correspondence to Petra Kalitova.

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Kalitova, P., Plzak, J., Kodet, R. et al. Angiosarcoma of the thyroid. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 266, 903–905 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-008-0820-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-008-0820-8

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