SPINDLE EPITHELIAL TUMOR WITH THYMUS-LIKE DIFFERENTIATION (SETTLE)
I have had reasons for looking all this up. Since you are here you probably have a pretty good reason too.
Maybe I can save you some of the late nights that I have had by putting the information I have found in one place for you.
First and foremost:
Disclaimer: The above is intended for informational purposes only. I have no medical training. I am not engaged in rendering medical advice or professional services. The information discussed here should not be used for diagnosing or treating cancer or any other health problem or disease; it is not a substitute for professional care. Always consult your medical doctor.
Secondly, I am no more a computer programmer than I am a doctor. This is mainly a collection of information I was able to gather from various sources on the internet. I was able to find hard copies of some of the information but I did not find them to be much more informative than the internet version. What follows is the best efforts of someone who up to a year ago had VERY limited interest in the internet and what it had to offer. Bear that in mind as you proceed. Hopefully it will provide you with some useful information and a starting point to continue with your own search.
Spindle-cell epithelial tumor with thymic-like epithelium (SETTLE)
Diagnosis: Although this tumor is prone to develop delayed blood-borne metastases, the metastatic risk is unclear because the case reports in the recent literature had very short follow-up periods.
Prognosis and Treatment: SETTLE occurs predominantly in young patients with a median age of 15 years and male predominance. There is a significant metastatic rate of 71% for patients with more than 5 years of follow-up in spite of the otherwise indolent nature of the tumor. (2)
Spindle epithelial tumour with thymus-like differentiation (SETTLE) is a very rare tumour of the thyroid….
How rare? How about 2/100,000?
(3)In comparison, thyroid cancer is considered uncommon and it's rate of incidence is 1/15,000.
Thyroid
The thyroid is one of the endocrine glands, which make hormones to regulate physiological functions in your body. The thyroid manufactures thyroid hormone, which regulates the rate at which our body carries on its necessary functions.
The thyroid gland is located in the middle of the lower neck, below the voice box (larynx) and just above your collarbone (clavicle). It is shaped like a bowtie, having two halves (lobes), a right lobe and a left lobe joined by an isthmus.
You can rarely feel a normal thyroid gland.
…believed to be derived from branchial pouch or thymic remnants
Branchial pouch or thymic remnants?
Of or pertaining to branchiae or gills. Branchial arches the bony or cartilainous arches which support the gills on each side of the throat of fishes and amphibians. Branchial clefts, the openings between the branchial arches through which water passes.(4)
The branchial apparatus undergoes its development and differentiation between the third and seventh weeks in the human embryo. Basically a gill slit type of development at this time with 5 pairs of mesodermal arches separated by 4 pairs of grooves or clefts externally and pouches internally. These grooves and pouches develop into parts of human anatomy. The parathyroid and thymus glands come from the third and fourth pouch. (5)(6) The presence of ectopic thymic tissue is well known along the embroylogical descent track in the neck. (7)
The thyroid gland develops from cells , which originate mainly from the 3rd branchial pouch, a limited number of cells derive from the 4th branchial pouch. The cells move to the base of the tongue where the main Anlage (genetic predisposition to a given trait or personality characteristic)
…showing primitive thymic differentiation.
differentiated- The distinguishing of one thing or disease from another.
The similarity between a normal cell and the cancer cell defines what degree of change has occurred. Cancer cells that are well differentiated are close to the original cell and are usually less aggressive. Poorly differentiated cells have changed more and are more aggressive.
(9)Thymus - lymphoid organ in the neck of the vertibrate.
The thymus is a small organ located in the upper/front portion of the chest, extending from the base of the throat to the front of the heart. The thymus reaches its maximum weight of about 1 ounce during puberty, then slowly decreases in size during adulthood and is gradually replaced by fat tissue.
During fetal development and childhood, the thymus is involved in the production and maturation of t-lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell important to the immune system
.(10)The thymus regresses as the animal matures.