Abstract
BackgroundSclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia is a rare form of thyroid carcinoma. The underlying molecular mechanisms of sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia tumorigenesis remain unknown.Case presentationWe present two cases of sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia, both with a concurrent papillary thyroid carcinoma. Patient 1, a 70-year-old Caucasian woman, presented with sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia with distant renal metastasis and coexisting papillary thyroid carcinoma. Patient 2, a 74-year-old Caucasian woman with a remote history of thyroid cancer treated with thyroidectomy, presented with locoregionally invasive sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia and recurrent papillary thyroid carcinoma in the thyroid bed. BRAF mutation studies were performed on the sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia tumors. In both cases, sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia was positive for the BRAF V600E mutation by polymerase chain reaction. Patient 1 is the first reported case of sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia with renal metastasis, to the best of our knowledge.ConclusionsOur findings suggest, for the first time, to our knowledge, involvement of the RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK signaling pathway in the pathogenesis of sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia. Thus, BRAF inhibitors may prove to be a useful targeted medical therapy in the treatment of a subset of patients with aggressive sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia tumors who exhibit BRAF activating mutation.
Highlights
Sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia is a rare form of thyroid carcinoma
We report two interesting cases of Sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia (SMECE) with concurrent papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), both harboring the B-Raf proto-oncogene, serine/threonine kinase (BRAF) V600E activating mutation in the SMECE tumor
Patient 2 A 73-year-old Caucasian woman with a history of PTC treated with total thyroidectomy at the age of 34 years presented to an outside institution with a recurrent right neck mass
Summary
For the first time, to our knowledge, involvement of the RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK signaling pathway in the pathogenesis of sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia.
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