[Metastasizing of follicular thyroid cancer to the skull base]

Distant metastases of differentiated thyroid carcinoma are observed in 5-10% of cases. Cerebral metastases are common for papillary carcinoma while cranial bones are usually affected by metastases of follicular cancer. Diagnostics of metastases of follicular carcinoma is complicated due to absence of pathognomonic signs and in 42% of cases they represent clinical onset of the disease. Neurosurgical treatment of metastases is associated with difficulties caused by abundant vasculature and intimate contact with critical structures of the skull base. Nevertheless metastases of follicular thyroid carcinoma have relatively favorable course: after surgical resection and hormonal replacement therapy and local iodine radiotherapy life expectancy is 4.5 years longer.