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[Mediastinal Thyroid Carcinoma;Report of a Case]
Yusuke Kita1, Ryo Kobayashi, Hiroshi Nogimura
1Department of Surgery, Yaizu City Hospital, Yaizu, Japan.
Kyobu Geka. the Japanese Journal of Thoracic Surgery
|May 13, 2017
Summary
A rare case of follicular thyroid carcinoma presented as an asymptomatic anterior mediastinal tumor in a 71-year-old woman. Surgical resection revealed a well-demarcated mass with capsular invasion, highlighting the unusual presentation of this thyroid cancer.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Surgical Oncology
- Pathology
Background:
- Mediastinal tumors can originate from various tissues, with thyroid tissue being an uncommon source.
- Follicular thyroid carcinoma typically arises in the thyroid gland and rarely presents as a primary mediastinal mass.
Observation:
- A 71-year-old woman presented with an asymptomatic 7 cm well-demarcated mass in the anterior mediastinum, identified via chest computed tomography (CT).
- The mass was surgically resected through a median sternotomy, demonstrating clear margins and no invasion into surrounding tissues.
- No continuity was observed between the mediastinal mass and the cervical thyroid gland.
Findings:
- Histopathological examination diagnosed the mediastinal tumor as follicular thyroid carcinoma.
- The diagnosis was confirmed by the presence of capsular invasion within the resected tumor specimen.
Implications:
- This case underscores the importance of considering ectopic thyroid tissue or unusual presentations of thyroid carcinoma in the differential diagnosis of anterior mediastinal masses.
- The successful surgical management highlights the feasibility of complete resection for such rare presentations.
- Further investigation into the embryological origin and behavior of mediastinal follicular thyroid carcinoma may be warranted.
