Secretory Carcinoma of the Thyroid in a 49-Year-Old Man Treated with Larotrectinib: Protracted Clinical Course of Disease Despite the High-Grade Histologic Features.

Abstract

Secretory carcinoma of the thyroid gland is histologically and genetically similar to its mammary and salivary gland counterparts. Unlike differentiated thyroid carcinomas of follicular cell origin, thyroid SC is not a thyroglobulin-producing tumor and would not be amenable to radioactive iodine therapy. Instead, these carcinomas may respond to targeted therapy with TRK inhibitors, which further emphasizes the importance of their recognition among morphologically similar thyroid entities. Based on eleven cases reported to date, most primary thyroid SC tend to present as locally advanced malignancies and are characterized by frequent recurrences and long-term survival. High-grade histologic features, increased mitotic count and necrosis have been described but their impact on clinical course and outcome remains unclear. We hereby report the case of a primary SC with high-grade features arising in the thyroid of a 49-year-old man, who was treated with Larotrectinib for his second recurrence. The patient achieved a durable response that lasted for 18 months but then he continued to progress and died of disease 181 months after the diagnosis.