Cell type is an important determinant of prognosis in thyroid cancer. There are four main varieties of thyroid cancer (although, for clinical management of the patient, thyroid cancer is generally divided into two categories: well differentiated or poorly differentiated):[1]

• Papillary carcinoma.
  • Papillary/follicular carcinoma.
• Follicular carcinoma.
  • Hürthle cell carcinoma, a variant of follicular carcinoma with a poorer prognosis.[2]
• Medullary carcinoma.
• Anaplastic carcinoma.
  • Small cell carcinoma.
  • Giant cell carcinoma.
• Others.
  • Lymphoma.
  • Sarcoma.
  • Carcinosarcoma.

A definition for each major type can be found under stage information.

References

1. LiVolsi VA: Pathology of thyroid disease. In: Falk SA: Thyroid Disease: Endocrinology, Surgery, Nuclear Medicine, and Radiotherapy. Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott-Raven, 1997, pp 127-175. 
   
   
2. Kushchayeva Y, Duh QY, Kebebew E, et al.: Comparison of clinical characteristics at diagnosis and during follow-up in 118 patients with Hurthle cell or follicular thyroid cancer. Am J Surg 195 (4): 457-62, 2008.  [PUBMED Abstract]
   
   

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