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Updated: Mar 23, 2026
Minimal Invasive Resection of Large Retrosternal Thyroid Goiter
Published on: September 20, 2024
Primary ectopic substernal thyroid cancer with trachea relapse: a case report and opinions of management
Rui-Min Ma1, Lin Lv1, Shu-Rong Zheng1
1Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China.
Background:
Ectopic substernal thyroid is a rare symptom of thyroid disease that entirely results from the developmental defects at early stages of thyroid embryogenesis and during its descent. Cases were seldom reported as primary ectopic substernal thyroid cancer, especially those with severe local invasion and tracheal relapse.
Case Presentation:
In this report, the patient presented odynophagia and a sense of progressing swallowing obstruction. She underwent total thyroidectomy and lump resection. However, she refused to use postoperative radioactive iodine or take adjuvant external-beam radiotherapy, except for thyroid hormone replacement therapy. Tracheal relapse was observed after 6 months. Tracheal stent was used to reconstruct the airway twice.
Conclusions:
Trachea invasion might be a worse independent predictor of prognosis than any others and should be given particular attention. Furthermore, tracheal stent might be a palliative option for patients with tracheal relapse.
