Secondary malignancy of the thyroid gland: a case report and review of the literature.
Metastatic cancer to the thyroid gland is uncommon. In this report we describe a patient with a malignant fibrous histiocytoma that metastasized to the thyroid, possibly to a preexisting thyroid nodule. A review of the literature reveals that breast and lung carcinoma are the most frequently identified sources of secondary thyroid carcinoma found at autopsy, while renal carcinoma comprises over 50% of secondary thyroid malignancies discovered clinically. A number of authors suggest that preexisting thyroid disease (i.e., multinodular goiter and thyroid nodules) may provide a nidus for metastases to the thyroid gland.
Haugen
B R
BR
Division of Endocrinology, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver 80262.
Nawaz
S
S
Cohn
A
A
Shroyer
K
K
Bunn
P A
PA
Liechty
D R
DR
Ridgway
E C
EC
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D018219:Histiocytoma, Benign Fibrous / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000473:pathology; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery