|
The first histological abnormality observed in
hereditary C cell disease is C cell hyperplasia
demonstrated by immunohistochemistry with
anti- calcitonin (CT) antibodies. C cell hyperplasia
may also be observed in other thyroid diseases
(thyroiditis or adjacent to a follicular tumor). It
may be difficult to differentiate C cell hyperplasia
from a rich normal C cell population. C cell
hyperplasia is absent in very few patients with
hereditary MTC. In contrast, it has been found
in addition to MTC in few cases of sporadic
MTC 22,23.
A series of histological stages of C cell disease have been defined and characterized as hyperplasia, nodular hyperplasia, microscopic carcinoma, and finally grossly detectable tumor. Hereditary MTC’s, developed from C cell hyperplasia, are bilateral, multicentric neoplasms, whereas sporadic MTC generally present as single tumors confined to one lobe. |
