The cytological features of sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia of the thyroid gland: A case report

Abstract

Sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia (SMECE) is very rare in the thyroid gland. Cytopathologists should carefully examine squamoid cluster and eosinophils in Hashimoto's thyroiditis to raise suspicion of SMECE.

Thyroid sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia in conjunction with parotid basal cell adenoma: Cytologic, histologic, and molecular features

“…Due to abundant sclerosis, FNA findings vary widely and can be deceptively bland 3,4 . Only 11 case reports of SMECE in the literature mention prior FNA and only a subset of those describe the cytomorphology 3‐13 (Table 1). The cellular aggregates seen in smears often have bland cytology including oval nuclei, small nucleoli, occasional grooves, rare nuclear inclusions, and varying amounts of cytoplasm 3,4,6‐10,20 .…”

“…Only 11 case reports of SMECE in the literature mention prior FNA and only a subset of those describe the cytomorphology 3‐13 (Table 1). The cellular aggregates seen in smears often have bland cytology including oval nuclei, small nucleoli, occasional grooves, rare nuclear inclusions, and varying amounts of cytoplasm 3,4,6‐10,20 . Squamoid appearing cells, rare keratin pearls, and rare intracytoplasmic mucin vacuoles are seen 3,6‐9,20 .…”

“…The cellular aggregates seen in smears often have bland cytology including oval nuclei, small nucleoli, occasional grooves, rare nuclear inclusions, and varying amounts of cytoplasm 3,4,6‐10,20 . Squamoid appearing cells, rare keratin pearls, and rare intracytoplasmic mucin vacuoles are seen 3,6‐9,20 . While lymphocytes and occasional eosinophils are present in the background, the finding of abundant eosinophils alone is not diagnostic of SMECE 3‐9,20 .…”

“…Squamoid appearing cells, rare keratin pearls, and rare intracytoplasmic mucin vacuoles are seen 3,6‐9,20 . While lymphocytes and occasional eosinophils are present in the background, the finding of abundant eosinophils alone is not diagnostic of SMECE 3‐9,20 . The cytologic findings can be somewhat nonspecific and diagnoses vary, ranging from AUS to positive for malignancy.…”

“…Sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia (SMECE) was first described as a distinct entity from mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) in 1991 by Chan et al 1 Since that description, approximately 56 cases of SMECE have been reported with descriptions of histology 2 . Despite most thyroid nodules having been initially evaluated by fine‐needle aspiration (FNA), there are only 11 cases with descriptions of cytomorphology 3‐13 . No descriptions of SMECE have included concurrent salivary gland neoplasms.…”