[A giant struma histologically confirmed as a medullary carcinoma with multiple systemic bone metastasis]

Reported is the case of a 46 year old woman with no significant family medical history, who presented a neck tumor that she had had for about ten years. This large tumor was noted on her admittance to hospital due to a bone fracture. She subsequently underwent a resection of this giant neck tumor. A histologic examination of the specimen revealed a medullary carcinoma of the follicular variety. Silver impregnation by the Grimelius method caused a positive reaction, and an electron-microscopic examination revealed round, electron-dense, endocrine granules about 195 nm in diameter, Immunohistochemically, the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and the presence of calcitonin proved the cells to be cancerous.