Pituitary metastasis of follicular thyroid carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
The case of a 60-year-old male patient with follicular thyroid cancer who developed a pituitary mass proved to be a metastasis from thyroid cancer.


METHODS
Assessment with whole-body scan, ultrasound, computed tomography and thyroglobulin measurements.


RESULTS
Despite surgery and repeated doses of radioiodine, the patient developed diplopia and ptosis of the right eyelid, along with increasing thyroglobulin levels. A pituitary mass was discovered, with no signs of pituitary deficiency. The mass was removed and found to consist of neoplastic cells immunohistochemically positive to thyroglobulin.


CONCLUSIONS
Distant metastases may develop in cases of follicular thyroid carcinoma, even after repeated doses of (131)I. Metastatic follicular thyroid carcinoma to the pituitary is a rare entity.
Chrisoulidou
Alexandra
A
Unit of Endocrinology and Endocrine Oncology, Theagenion Anticancer Hospital, 2 A. Simeonidi Street, GR-540 07 Thessaloniki, Greece. alexri@otenet.gr
Pazaitou-Panayiotou
Kalliopi
K
Flaris
Nikolaos
N
Drimonitis
Apostolos
A
Giavroglou
Iosifina
I
Ginikopoulou
Eudoxia
E
Vainas
Iraklis
I
D018263:Adenocarcinoma, Follicular / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D001763:Blepharoptosis / Q000209:etiology; D004172:Diplopia / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D013954:Thyroglobulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*
D013954:Thyroglobulin