Thyroid carcinoma producing β-human chorionic gonadotropin shows different clinical behavior: Thyroid carcinoma producing β-hCG shows good behavior

: Columnar cell variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (CCV-PTC) is an unusual neoplasm, the clinical behavior of which mainly depends on the encapsulation or infiltration. Patients with extensive extrathyroidal extension usually have an aggressive biological behavior. This study confirmed that beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) secreting invasive CCV-PTC has good prognosis comparing with a cohort of follicular cell differentiated thyroid carcinoma. On the contrary, positive immunoreaction with β-hCG was proved in three anaplastic thyroid carcinoma patients showing aggressive clinical courses. The clinicopathologic characteristics of CCV-PTC and the paraneoplastic syndromes in follicular cell differentiated thyroid carcinoma were further summarized using literature review.