Thyroid cancers have historically been divided into four types- papillary, follicular, medullary, and anaplastic. Papillary, follicular, and medullary carcinomas comprised the differentiated type of thyroid neoplasms. Hurthle cell carcinoma (HCC) of the thyroid gland is one of the lesser-known thyroid cancer types. It used to be considered a variant of follicular thyroid cancer. It shares certain similarities with follicular cancer of the thyroid, like clinical presentation and pattern of metastatic spread. However, in 2017 World Health Organization classified it as a distinct tumor type owing to significant histopathological and molecular differences with follicular thyroid cancer. Hurthle cell thyroid cancer is now defined as a follicular thyroid cell “derived” cancer and not a variant of follicular cancer itself.
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