PAEA Surgery End Of Rotation (EOR) Practice Exam

What is a common histological finding in papillary thyroid cancer?

1. Psammoma bodies

2. Follicular architecture

3. Necrotic cell debris

4. Chondrocyte-like cells

The correct answer is: Psammoma bodies

Papillary thyroid cancer is characterized by several distinct histological features, and one of the most notable findings is the presence of psammoma bodies. These are small, round calcified structures that are often seen in various types of tumors, but they are particularly associated with papillary thyroid carcinoma. The formation of psammoma bodies is thought to result from the calcification of necrotic areas within the tumor, and their identification can aid in the histopathological diagnosis of this type of cancer. In papillary thyroid cancer, the tumor typically exhibits a variety of other features, such as nuclear atypia, ground-glass nuclei, and the classic papillary architecture. However, psammoma bodies are frequently highlighted in pathology reports and can serve as an important diagnostic clue, making them a hallmark histological feature of this disease. Other options like follicular architecture are more characteristic of follicular thyroid carcinoma rather than papillary thyroid cancer. Necrotic cell debris, while it may be found in various malignancies, is not a defining feature of papillary thyroid cancer. Chondrocyte-like cells are not associated with thyroid neoplasms but can be seen in other conditions, such as chondrosarcomas. Therefore, the presence of ps