Part of “CHAPTER 41 – UNUSUAL THYROID CANCERS“

Columnar cell variant is similar to TCV in that it appears to be a dedifferentiated subtype characterized by “tall cells.” The distinction between the two is generally based on the nuclear stratification of the columnar cell versus the basal nuclei typical of TCV and the presence of clear rather than pink cytoplasm. Columnar cell carcinoma is much less common than TCV, with only 24 reported cases. It has been associated with anaplastic carcinoma, well-differentiated thyroid cancer, and TCV.33,34