Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-wq484 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-29T08:21:45.508Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Papillary thyroid carcinoma in a lateral neck cyst: primary of ectopic thyroid tissue versus cystic metastasis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 June 2013

J J Xu ,
K Kwan  and
K Fung
J J Xu
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
K Kwan
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
K Fung*
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
*
Address for correspondence: Dr K Fung, Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, Victoria Hospital, Room B3-427 800 Commissioners Road East London, OntarioCanada, N6A 5W9 Fax: +1 519 685 8567 E-mail: kevin.fung@lhsc.on.ca
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective:

To review the diagnosis of primary papillary carcinoma of ectopic thyroid tissue within branchial cleft cysts, and to discuss the diagnostic challenge of differentiating this condition from metastatic disease when an occult microcarcinoma is found in the thyroid gland.

Methods:

These comprise a case report and a literature review. We present the case of a 75-year-old woman with papillary thyroid carcinoma within the wall of a recurrent, 15 cm, lateral neck cyst.

Results:

Histological examination of the patient's thyroid gland found a 0.5 mm papillary thyroid microcarcinoma.

Conclusion:

Our differential diagnosis was primary papillary carcinoma arising from ectopic thyroid tissue, or metastatic cystic degeneration of a lateral lymph node. We make an argument for the former.

Keywords

Thyroid, EctopicNeoplasms, ThyroidBranchial CystCarcinomas, Papillary
Type
Clinical Records
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 127 , Issue 7 , July 2013 , pp. 724 - 727
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2013 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1Noussios, G, Anagnostis, P, Goulis, DG, Lappas, D, Natsis, K. Ectopic thyroid tissue: anatomical, clinical, and surgical implications of a rare entity. Eur J Endocrinol 2011;165:375–82CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2Cramer, JD, Fu, P, Harth, KC, Margevicius, S, Wilhelm, SM. Analysis of the rising incidence of thyroid cancer using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results national cancer data registry. Surgery 2010;148:1147–52CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3Seven, H, Gurkan, A, Cinar, U, Vural, C, Turgut, S. Incidence of occult thyroid carcinoma metastases in lateral cervical cysts. Am J Otolaryngol 2004;25:11–17CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4Balasubramaniam, GS, Stillwell, RG, Kennedy, JT. Papillary carcinoma arising in ectopic thyroid tissue within a branchial cyst. Pathology 1992;24:214–16CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5Jadusingh, W, Shah, DJ, Shaw, H, Lyn, C. Thyroid papillary carcinoma arising in a branchial cleft cyst. West Indian Med J 1996;45:122–4Google Scholar
6Matsumoto, K, Watanabe, Y, Asano, G. Thyroid papillary carcinoma arising in ectopic thyroid tissue within a branchial cleft cyst. Pathol Int 1999;49:444–6CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7Sidhu, S, Lioe, TF, Clements, B. Thyroid papillary carcinoma in lateral neck cyst: missed primary tumour or ectopic thyroid carcinoma within a branchial cyst? J Laryngol Otol 2000;114:716–18CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8Cappellani, A, Di Vita, M, Zanghi, A, Di Stefano, B, La Porta, D, De Luca, A et al. A case of branchial cyst with an ectopic thyroid papillary carcinoma. Ann Ital Chir 2004;75:349–51Google ScholarPubMed
9Mehmood, RK, Basha, SI, Ghareeb, E. A case of papillary carcinoma arising in ectopic thyroid tissue within a branchial cyst with neck node metastasis. Ear Nose Throat J 2006;85:675–6CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10Park, J, Kwon, SY, Kim, NH, Baik, SH, Choi, DS. Papillary thyroid carcinoma arising in a branchial cleft cyst. Thyroid 2010;20:347–9CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11Cho, JS, Shin, SH, Kim, HK, Lee, JS, Park, MH, Yoon, JH et al. Primary papillary carcinoma originated from a branchial cleft cyst. J Korean Surg Soc 2011;81(suppl 1):12–16CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12Fumarola, A, Trimboli, P, Cavaliere, R, Coletta, I, Veltri, A, Di Fiore, A et al. Thyroid papillary carcinoma arising in ectopic thyroid tissue within a neck branchial cyst. World J Surg Oncol 2006;4:24CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13Harach, HR, Franssila, KO, Wasenius, VM. Occult papillary carcinoma of the thyroid. A “normal” finding in Finland. A systematic autopsy study. Cancer 1985;56:531–83.0.CO;2-3>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14Lang, W, Borrusch, H, Bauer, L. Occult carcinomas of the thyroid. Evaluation of 1,020 sequential autopsies. Am J Clin Pathol 1988;90:72–6CrossRefGoogle Scholar
15Yamamoto, Y, Maeda, T, Izumi, K, Otsuka, H. Occult papillary carcinoma of the thyroid. A study of 408 autopsy cases. Cancer 1990;65:1173–93.0.CO;2-2>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16Kim, YS. Patterns and predictive factors of lateral lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid microcarcinoma. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2012;147:15–19CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17Briggs, RD, Pou, AM, Schnadig, VJ. Cystic metastasis versus branchial cleft carcinoma: a diagnostic challenge. Laryngoscope 2002;112:1010–14CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
18Ozolek, JA. Selective pathologies of the head and neck in children: a developmental perspective. Adv Anat Pathol 2009;16:332–58CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
19Fagman, H, Nilsson, M. Morphogenesis of the thyroid gland. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2010;323:35–54CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
20Glosser, JW, Pires, CA, Feinberg, SE. Branchial cleft or cervical lymphoepithelial cysts: etiology and management. J Am Dent Assoc 2003;134:81–6CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed