Solitary parotid metastasis from columnar cell carcinoma of the thyroid: a diagnostic dilemma

A 65-yr-old woman presented in May 1998 with a left parotid mass of 2 yr duration. The cytology and histopathology of the parotid lesion showed features of a columnar cell carcinoma. In November, 1967, she was diagnosed to have a classic papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Ultrasound examination revealed a persistent thyroid nodule, the aspiration cytology of which confirmed columnar cell variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (CCV-PTC). CCV-PTC is a recently described rare tumor of the thyroid that has been associated with an aggressive clinical course. Our case was peculiar in that the patient presented with an isolated metastasis in the parotid gland. Second, after an indolent course following the initial diagnosis of usual PTC 31 yr ago, she had now developed a more aggressive variant of the tumor.