Join us for a detailed exploration of Hurthle Cell Carcinoma (HCC)—a rare but aggressive thyroid cancer. In this episode, we cover:
- 🔬 The unique biology: Hurthle cells (oxyphilic cells), packed with mitochondria, and how they differ from other thyroid cancers
- 🧩 Diagnostic challenges: why fine-needle biopsies often fall short and why surgery is usually needed
- 🏷 Tumor classification: minimally invasive, angioinvasive, and widely invasive—and how each affects prognosis
- 🔬 Cutting-edge genetics: mitochondrial mutations, chromosomal loss/near-haploidy, and why drivers like BRAF or RAS are uncommon
- 🏥 Treatment essentials: surgery (lobectomy vs. total thyroidectomy), the debated role of radioactive iodine (RAI), and the importance of an expert surgeon
- 💊 Systemic therapy in advanced cases: targeted kinase inhibitors, mTOR inhibitors, clinical trials, and real-world examples
- 🩺 Follow-up strategy: ultrasound, thyroglobulin monitoring, TSH suppression, imaging (CT/PET/MRI), and multidisciplinary care
Whether you’re newly diagnosed, in treatment, or a survivor, this guide will help you feel empowered and informed.
