Metastatic Hurthle Cell Carcinoma of the thyroid presenting as a Breast Lump: A Case Report.
BACKGROUND
Hurthle cell carcinoma of the thyroid is a rare form of thyroid cancer. It may present as a low grade tumour or can present as a more aggressive metastatic carcinoma. Hurthle cell carcinoma has the highest incidence of metastasis among all differentiated thyroid cancers. Most commonly haematogenous spread to lungs, bones and brain, however spread to regional lymph nodes is not uncommon. The breast is a rare site for metastasis from extramammary sources. We present the first case of breast metastasis from Hurthle cell carcinoma of the thyroid.


METHODS
We report a 77 year old lady who had total thyroidectomy and bilateral neck dissection followed by radiotherapy for a high grade metastatic Hurthle cell carcinoma of the thyroid. Ten months later she presented to the breast clinic with left breast lump and a lump at the left axilla. Fine needle aspiration cytology of the lumps and histology after wide local excision of the breast lump confirmed metastatic Hurthle cell carcinoma.


CONCLUSIONS
The presence of breast lumps in patients with history of extramammary cancer should raise the possibility of metastasis.
Al-Abed
Yahya
Y
The Breast Unit, Department of Surgery, Southend University Hospital, Prittlewell Chase, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex SS0 0RY, UK. yalabed@yahoo.co.uk.
Gray
Emma
E
Wolfe
Konrad
K
Watters
Gavin W
GW
Philpott
Jonathan M
JM