Thyroid metastasis in a patient with
hepatocellular carcinoma: case report and
review of literature
林賜恩
Hung-Hua Liang;Chih-Hsiung Wu;Ka-Wai
Tam;Chiah-Yang Chai;Sey-En Lin;Soul-Chin Chen
摘要
Abstract
Background
Despite the apparent low incidence of cancer metastatic to the thyroid, autopsy and clinical series suggest it is more common than generally. Although lung, renal, and breast cancer are probably the most common primary sites, a number of cancers have been reported to metastasize to the thyroid synchronously with diagnosis of primary tumor or years after apparently curative treatment.
Case presentation
We report a rare case of a hepatocellular carcinoma metasatic to the thyroid. The patient presented seven months after original diagnosis and treatment with hepatic lobectomy with multiple neck lesions producing a mass effect on the trachea and bilateral
lymphadenopathy. Fine-needle aspiration revealed highly anaplastic carcinoma, and immunohistochemistry confirmed hepatocellular carcinoma. The patient received total thyroidectomy as palliative therapy because of the presence of multiple recurrent lesions in the liver.
Conclusion
Clinicians should consider the possibility of metastatic cancer in each patient who presents with a new thyroid mass, especially those with a history of cancer, however remote. In cases where cytology or histology is not diagnostic, immunohistochemistry may be definitive in making the diagnosis.
