Skip to main content
Log in

Solitary skin metastasis as the presenting feature of differentiated thyroid microcarcinoma: Report of two cases

  • Case Report
  • Published:
Journal of Endocrinological Investigation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Cutaneous metastases from thyroid neoplasia are very rare. Most patients presenting with such a disease have also both internal metastases and a very enlarged thyroid gland. We reported here 2 patients presenting with differentiated thyroid microcarcinoma which was revealed by a solitary scalp lesion. The positive immunoperox-idase staining for thyroglobulin (TG) in the skin tumour cells asserted the diagnosis of metastatic thyroid carcinoma. The thyroid neoplastic micronodular formation was unrecognized by ultrasonography and it was only found at serial histological examination of the thyroid gland entirely removed during surgery. Histological procedure showed a solitary follicular microcarcinoma (diameter = 0.5 cm) in 1 patient, and two differentiated microcarcinoma, a follicular microcarcinoma (diameter = 0.4 cm) in a lobe and a follicular-papillary carcinoma (diameter = 0.5 cm) in the other lobe, in the second patient.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ibanez M., Russell W.O., Albores-Saavedra J., Lampertico P., White E., Clark R.L. Thyroid carcinoma: biologic behaviour and mortality. Cancer 19: 1039, 1966.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Barr R., Dann F. Anaplastic carcinoma metastic to the skin. J. Cutan. Pathol. 1: 201, 1974.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Auty R.M. Dermal metastases from a follicular carcinoma of the thyroid. Arch. Dermatol. 113: 675, 1977.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Hamilton D. Cutaneous metastases from a follicular thyroid carcinoma. J. Dermatol. Surg. Oncol. 6: 116, 1980.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Pitlik S., Kitzes R., Ben-Bassat M., Rosenfeld J.B. Thyroid carcinoma presenting as a solitary skin metastasis. Cutis 31: 532, 1983.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Horiguchi Y., Takahashi C., Imamura S. Cutaneous metastasis from papillary carcinoma of the thyroid gland: report of two cases. J. Am. Acad. Dermatol. 10: 988, 1984.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Rico M.J., Penneys N.S. Metastatic follicular carcinoma of the thyroid to the skin: a cases confirmed by immunohistochemistry. J. Cutan. Pathol. 12: 103, 1985.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Ordonez N.G., Samaan N.A. Medullary carcinoma of the thyroid metastatic to the skin: report of two cases. J. Cutan. Pathol. 14: 251, 1987.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Doutre M.S., Beylot C., Baquey A., Bonnemaison D., Bezian J.H., Bioulac P., Carteyron M. Cutaneous metastasis from papillary carcinoma of the thyroid. A case confirmed by monoclonal antithyroglobulin antibody. J. Cutan. Pathol. 177: 241, 1988.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Pavlidis N.A., Sourla A.D., Nikolaou N.G., Tolis Ch.F., Mitsi V.D. Neglected cases of papillary and follicular thyroid carcinoma. Occurence of subcutaneous metastases. Eur. J. Surg. Oncol. 16: 175, 1990.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Elgart G.W., Patterson J.W., Taylor R. Cutaneous metastasis from papillary carcinoma of the thyroid gland. J. Am. Acad. Dermatol. 25: 404, 1991.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Tronnier M., Winzer M., Wolff H.H. Cutaneous metastases from follicular thyroid carcinoma: Histology, immunohistology, and electron microscopy. A report of two cases. Dermatologica 183: 286, 1991.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Vives R., Valcayo A., Menendez E., Guarch R. Follicular thyroid carcinoma metastatic to the skin. J. Am. Acad. Dermatol. 27: 276, 1992.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Ruiz de Erenschun F., Espana A., Idoate M.A., Quintanilla E. Cutaneous metastasis from a follicular carcinoma of the thyroid. Acta Derm. Venereol. 73: 154, 1993.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Cecil-Loeb B. Thyroid carcinoma. In: Textbook of Medicine, Beeson P.B., McDermott W., Wyngaarden J.B. (Eds) WB Saunders, Philadelphia, 1979, p. 2143.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Smithers D. Tumors of the thyroid gland (Monographs on neoplastic diseases at various site). E and S Livingston, Edinburgh and London, 1970, vol. 6, p. 181.

  17. Butler J.J., Tulinius H., Jlbanez M.L. Significance of thyroid tissue in lymph nodes associated with carcinoma of the head, neck or lung. Cancer 20: 103, 1967.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Gikas P.W., Labow S.S., Diguilio W. Occult papillary carcinoma of the thyroid. Cancer 20: 2100, 1967.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Sampson R.J., Key C.R., Bucher C.R. Thyroid carcinoma in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I, Prevalence of thyroid carcinoma at autopsy. JAMA 209: 65, 1979.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Ozata M., Suzuki S., Miyamoto T., Liu R.T., Fierro-Renoy F., Degroot L.J. Serum thyroglobulin in the follow-up of patients with treated differentiated thyroid cancer. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 79: 98, 1994.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lissak, B., Vannetzel, J.M., Gallouedec, N. et al. Solitary skin metastasis as the presenting feature of differentiated thyroid microcarcinoma: Report of two cases. J Endocrinol Invest 18, 813–816 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03349817

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03349817

Key-words

Navigation