Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 19, 2026

Computer-Aided Three-Dimensional Visualization in the Treatment of Locally Advanced Thyroid Cancer
Published on: June 9, 2023
Papillary thyroid cancer with an initial presentation of abdominal and flank pain
Francis P Ruggiero1, Elizabeth E Frauenhoffer, Brendan C Stack
1Division of Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg., Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA.
Purpose:
Well-differentiated thyroid cancer typically presents as a thyroid mass. Common sites of metastases upon presentation include cervical lymph nodes, lung, and bone. Well-differentiated thyroid cancer with clinically apparent kidney metastases is rare, with fewer than 20 cases reported in the literature. In the vast majority of these cases, the patients had known thyroid neoplasms at the time the renal metastases were identified. We report a case of papillary thyroid carcinoma that presented with abdominal pain in a 25-year-old woman with no previous history of thyroid disease.
Study Design:
This study is a case report.
Results:
The patient underwent radical nephrectomy for a right renal mass, which was diagnosed as papillary thyroid carcinoma follicular variant. During subsequent evaluation, metastatic disease was also identified in the patient's lungs. The patient was treated with total thyroidectomy and iodine 131.
Conclusions:
Papillary cancer, which ordinarily behaves in an indolent manner, can have unusual presentation, including disseminated metastasis on presentation. Renal metastases are extremely rare.
Related Concept Videos
Appendicitis-I: Introduction
Etiology: Appendicitis can arise from various causes, primarily rooted in the obstruction of the appendix lumen. Factors contributing to this obstruction include fecal accumulation, lymphoid hyperplasia and, in...
Chronic Pancreatitis I: Introduction
Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas, which occurs when the immune system becomes active and causes swelling, pain, and disruptions in organ function. Pancreatitis can manifest as either an acute or chronic condition.
Acute pancreatitis arises suddenly and lasts for a brief duration, while chronic pancreatitis is a long-term affliction...
Appendicitis
Peptic Ulcer Disease III: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies
Few clinical manifestations differentiate gastric ulcers from duodenal ulcers. Distinctions in the location, timing, and pain relief are crucial for healthcare providers in differentiating between gastric and duodenal ulcers during clinical assessments.
Aneurysm II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies
Acute Pancreatitis II: Clinical Manifestations and Management

