Nonmedullary thyroid cancer (NMTC) comprises cancer of follicular cell origin and accounts for more than 95% of all cases of thyroid cancer. Familial NMTC accounts for 3 to 9% of all cases of thyroid cancer and has an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance. Most cases of familial NMTC are papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), which is the most common type of thyroid cancer (summary by Gara et al., 2015). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of NMTC, see NMTC1 (188550).

Nonmedullary thyroid cancer (NMTC) comprises thyroid cancers of follicular cell origin and accounts for more than 95% of all thyroid cancer cases. The remaining cancers originate from parafollicular cells (medullary thyroid cancer, MTC; 155240). NMTC is classified into 4 groups: papillary, follicular, Hurthle cell (607464), and anaplastic. Approximately 5% of NMTC is hereditary, occurring as a minor component of a familial cancer syndrome (e.g., familial adenomatous polyposis 175100, Carney complex 160980) or as a primary feature (familial NMTC or FNMTC). Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is the most common histologic subtype of FNMTC, accounting for approximately 85% of cases (summary by Vriens et al., 2009). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of NMTC, see NMTC1 (188550).

Nonmedullary thyroid cancer (NMTC) comprises thyroid cancers of follicular cell origin and accounts for more than 95% of all thyroid cancer cases. The remaining cancers originate from parafollicular cells (medullary thyroid cancer, MTC; 155240). NMTC is classified into 4 groups: papillary, follicular, Hurthle cell (607464), and anaplastic. Approximately 5% of NMTC is hereditary, occurring as a minor component of a familial cancer syndrome (e.g., familial adenomatous polyposis, 175100, Carney complex, 160980) or as a primary feature (familial NMTC or FNMTC). Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is the most common histologic subtype of FNMTC, accounting for approximately 85% of cases (summary by Vriens et al., 2009). Follicular thyroid cancer (FTC) accounts for approximately 15% of NMTC and is defined by invasive features that result in infiltration of blood vessels and/or full penetration of the tumor capsule, in the absence of the nuclear alterations that characterize papillary carcinoma. FTC is rarely multifocal and usually does not metastasize to the regional lymph nodes but tends to spread via the bloodstream to the lung and bones. An important histologic variant of FTC is the oncocytic (Hurthle cell, oxyphilic) follicular carcinoma composed of eosinophilic cells replete with mitochondria (summary by Bonora et al., 2010). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of NMTC, see NMTC1 (188550).

Nonmedullary thyroid cancer (NMTC) comprises thyroid cancers of follicular cell origin and accounts for more than 95% of all thyroid cancer cases. The remaining cancers originate from parafollicular cells (medullary thyroid cancer, MTC; 155240). NMTC is classified into 4 groups: papillary, follicular (188470), Hurthle cell (607464), and anaplastic. Approximately 5% of NMTC is hereditary, occurring as a component of a familial cancer syndrome (e.g., familial adenomatous polyposis, 175100; Carney complex, 160980) or as a primary feature (familial NMTC or FNMTC). Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is the most common histologic subtype of FNMTC, accounting for approximately 85% of cases (summary by Vriens et al., 2009). PTC is characterized by distinctive nuclear alterations including pseudoinclusions, grooves, and chromatin clearing. PTCs smaller than 1 cm are referred to as papillary microcarcinomas. These tumors have been identified in up to 35% of individuals at autopsy, suggesting that they may be extremely common although rarely clinically relevant. PTC can also be multifocal but is typically slow-growing with a tendency to spread to lymph nodes and usually has an excellent prognosis (summary by Bonora et al., 2010). Genetic Heterogeneity of Susceptibility to Nonmedullary Thyroid Cancer Other susceptibilities to nonmedullary thyroid cancer include NMTC2 (188470), caused by mutation in the SRGAP1 gene (606523); NMTC3 (606240), mapped to chromosome 2q21; NMTC4 (616534), caused by mutation in the FOXE1 gene (602617); and NMTC5 (616535), caused by mutation in the HABP2 gene (603924). A susceptibility locus for familial nonmedullary thyroid carcinoma with or without cell oxyphilia (TCO; 603386) has been mapped to chromosome 19p.