Cutaneous and bone metastasis of follicular thyroid carcinoma: a case report

Follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) is the second most common type of thyroid cancer after papillary carcinoma. Based on the extent of invasion, it has been classified into minimally and widely invasive subtypes. The minimally invasive type usually grows slowly and is clinically indolent but in rare cases has an aggressive behavior with distant metastases. The lungs and bones are the most common sites of metastasis. The literature mentions very few cases of scalp metastases. We report an unusual case of minimally invasive FTC with multiple scalp and bone metastases as the initial presenting complaint. In conclusion, awareness of the histopathological characteristics and variations in the metastatic behavior of thyroid carcinomas can help us overcome the difficulty in the diagnosis of such lesions.