Metastatic papillary carcinoma of the thyroid

Cutaneous metastases from thyroid carcinomas, although uncommon, have been previously reported and are usually found in association with evidence of disseminated disease.

We report a 75-year-old male who presented with a 4-cm reddish violaceous nodule on the left temple and a clinical history significant for papillary carcinoma of the thyroid.

Microscopic examination of a 4-mm punch biopsy revealed a poorly circumscribed neoplasm with focal epidermal connection and multiple cystic cavities and papillary projections.

This case report describes a solitary cutaneous lesion as the first evidence of disseminated neoplastic disease in a patient with no other clinical evidence of concurrent metastases. The histology of the lesion was unusual in that it mimicked a primary cutaneous neoplasm.