Incidental association of thyroid carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck.
OBJECTIVE
This study was carried out to address the dilemma of managing incidentally associated squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck and thyroid carcinoma.


METHODS
The patient group consists of 229 consecutive cases of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck and who were treated surgically at the Uludag University School of Medicine Department of Otolaryngology over a four-year period between 1997 and 2000.


RESULTS
Among these patients, 3 had additional thyroid papillary carcinoma metastases (1.3%, 3/229) within the surgical specimens of the surgical procedures performed for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Complementary thyroidectomy was recommended but could not be performed in one of three cases because of the patient's refusal, and the primary focus of thyroid carcinoma could be found in only one of these two cases who had undergone complementary thyroidectomy. All three patients received postoperative radioactive iodine and thyroid hormone suppression, and all are free of disease after 49, 46, and 19 months of follow-up, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Management of thyroid carcinoma found incidentally during treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck is still debatable, and all patients must be evaluated individually with regard to its benefit. Our limited experience suggests that total thyroidectomy may not be regarded as mandatory in managing these patients.
Coskun
Hakan
H
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Uludag University School of Medicine, Gorukle, Bursa, Turkey.
Erisen
Levent
L
Tolunay
Sahsine
S
Basut
Oguz
O
Onart
Selcuk
S
Tezel
Ilker
I
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000473:pathology*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009378:Neoplasms, Multiple Primary; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*