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Axillary Lymph Node Metastasis in Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma: A Case Report
Seyed Ziaeddin Rasihashemi1, Ramin Azhough2, Ali Ramouz1
1Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Imam Reza Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Iranian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology
|September 29, 2017
Summary
Metastatic medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) to axillary lymph nodes is exceptionally rare. This case highlights a patient with MTC axillary metastasis who recovered well after lymph node dissection, suggesting a potentially favorable prognosis in select cases.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Endocrinology
- Surgical Pathology
Background:
- Medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) originates from C cells and rarely metastasizes distantly.
- Axillary lymph node involvement is an exceedingly rare presentation of MTC metastasis.
Observation:
- A 31-year-old woman with a history of MTC presented with a left axillary mass.
- Fine needle aspiration cytology confirmed metastatic MTC in the axillary lymph nodes.
- The patient had previously undergone total thyroidectomy and right neck dissection.
Findings:
- Histopathology confirmed metastatic medullary thyroid carcinoma in the resected axillary lymph nodes.
- The patient experienced no further MTC-related complications following left axillary lymph node dissection.
Implications:
- Axillary lymph node metastasis from MTC, though rare, may not always portend a poor prognosis.
- Surgical management, including lymphadenectomy, can be effective in treating localized MTC metastasis.
- Further research is warranted to understand the prognostic factors for rare MTC metastatic patterns.
