Thyroid carcinoma metastatic to the skin: a cutaneous manifestation of a widely disseminated malignancy.
BACKGROUND
Cutaneous metastases develop in 2% to 9% of patients with an internal malignancy. Thyroid carcinoma metastatic to the skin is a rare clinical entity.


OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to study the clinical and pathologic features and outcome in patients with cutaneous metastasis from thyroid carcinoma.


METHODS
The study included a retrospective analysis of six patients with skin metastases from thyroid carcinoma and a review of the English-language literature since 1964.


RESULTS
Including our six patients, 43 patients with skin metastases from thyroid carcinoma have been reported. Papillary carcinoma was the most common (41%), followed by follicular (28%), anaplastic (15%), and medullary carcinomas (15%). The scalp was the most common site of metastasis. For our patients, the average length of survival after diagnosis of cutaneous metastasis was 19 months.


CONCLUSIONS
Cutaneous metastasis from thyroid carcinoma is rare and occurs in the setting of disseminated neoplastic disease.
Dahl
P R
PR
Department of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.
Brodland
D G
DG
Goellner
J R
JR
Hay
I D
ID
D000328:Adult; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000556:secondary*; D018276:Carcinoma, Medullary / Q000556:secondary; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000556:secondary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*